REGIONAL COMMITTEE Sixty-seventh Session Dhaka, Bangladesh 9–12 September 2014
Provisional Agenda item 11.2 SEA/RC67/27 28 July 2014
Special Programmes: UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP): Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) – Report on attendance at PCC in 2014 and nomination of a member in place of Bangladesh whose term expires on 31 December 2014 The Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) acts as the governing body of the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP). The last PCC Meeting was held from 26 to 27 June 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. Its report was presented to the High-Level Preparatory (HLP) Meeting. At present, three Member States from the WHO South-East Asia Region (Bangladesh, Maldives and Timor-Leste) are members of PCC Category 2, while India continues to be a member of PCC Category 1. Nepal is a member of PCC Category 3. Since the term of office of Bangladesh ends on 31 December 2014, representatives of the HLP meeting are requested to consider electing one of the Member States of the Region to serve on PCC for a three-year term of office from 1 January 2015. The attached working paper and report of the PCC were submitted to the HLP Meeting who made the following recommendation: Action by Member States (1) The nomination of Indonesia as a member of the PCC in place of Bangladesh, whose term expires on 31 December 2014, is recommended for consideration of the Sixty-seventh Regional Committee.
The Sixty-seventh Session of the Regional Committee is requested to consider and note the report of the PCC Meeting and to make a decision on the recommendation of the HLP Meeting.
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Background 1. The Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) of the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction acts as the governing body of the Special Programme and is responsible for its overall policy and strategy. For the purpose of coordinating the interests and responsibilities of the parties cooperating in the Special Programme, it:
reviews and decides upon the planning and execution of the Special Programme; reviews and approves the plan of action and budget for the coming financial period prepared by the Executing Agency and reviewed by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) and the Standing Committee; reviews the proposals of the Standing Committee and approves arrangements for the financing of the Special Programme; reviews the proposed longer-term plans of action and their financial implications; reviews the annual financial statements submitted by the Executing Agency, and the audit report thereon, submitted by the External Auditor of the Executing Agency; reviews periodic reports that will evaluate the progress of the Special Programme towards the achievement of its objectives; reviews and endorses the selection of members of STAG by the Executing Agency in consultation with the Standing Committee; and considers such other matters relating to the Special Programme as may be referred to it by any Cooperating Party.
Composition 2. The PCC consists of members from among the Cooperating Parties as follows (Annex 1): (1) Largest financial contributors (Category 1): 11 government representatives from countries that are the largest financial contributors to the Special Programme, including India. Countries elected by WHO regional committees: 14 Member States elected by the WHO regional committees for three-year terms according to population distribution and regional needs. Three countries representing the South-East Asia Region under this category (Category 2) are Bangladesh, Maldives and Timor-Leste. In its election, due account is taken of a country's financial and/or technical support to the Special Programme, as well as its interest in the fields of family planning, and research and development in human reproduction and fertility regulation, as demonstrated by national policies and programmes. Other interested Cooperating Parties (Category 3): two members elected by PCC for three-year terms from the remaining Cooperating Parties. Nepal is a member in this category for the term 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014.
(2)
(3)
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(4)
Permanent members: the cosponsors of the Special Programme viz., UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, The World Bank, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Observers: other Cooperating Parties may be represented as observers upon approval of the Executing Agency, which is the World Health Organization, after consultation with the Standing Committee. Observers may attend sessions of PCC at their own expense.
(5)
3.
Members of PCC in Categories 2 and 3 may be re-elected.
Action to be taken by the Regional Committee Report on the PCC session 4. The Regional Committee, at its earlier session, recommended that the PCC members elected by it should report to the Regional Committee, giving a summary of the deliberations of the last PCC session attended by them. The report of the PCC meeting held on 26 –27 June 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland was presented to the HLP meeting for noting.
Membership from the South-East Asia Region under Category 2 5. The following table depicts the membership of PCC from the South-East Asia Region over the past few years. Country Bangladesh Period 1987–1989 1990–1992 2000–2002 2006–2008 2012–2014 2011–2013 1988–1989 1990–1991 1993–1995 1996–1998 1999–2001 2002–2004 1992–1994 1995–1997 1998–2000 2001–2003 2008–2010 Elected by Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Paragraph of the Memorandum on the administrative structure under which elected 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.1 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2
Bhutan India
Indonesia
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Country Maldives Myanmar Nepal
Period 2013–2015 2007–2009 1989–1991 2000–2002 2005–2007 2012–2014 1988–1990 1994–1996 2004–2006 2009–2011 1988–1990 1991–1993 1997–1999 2003–2005 2010–2012 2014–2016
Elected by Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC Regional Committee PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee PCC Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee Regional Committee
Paragraph of the Memorandum on the administrative structure under which elected 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Timor-Leste
6. At present, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Timor-Leste from the South-East Asia Region are members of PCC. Since the term of office of Bangladesh ends on 31 December 2014, the HLP meeting recommended Indonesia to serve on the PCC for a three-year term of office from 1 January 2015. The recommendation of the HLP meeting is submitted to the Sixtyseventh Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration. 7. In selecting a Member State, the HLP meeting took into account the country's financial and/or technical support to the Special Programme, as well as its interest in the fields of family planning, and research and development in human reproduction and fertility regulation, as demonstrated by the national policies and programmes.
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Annex 1 Category 1 – Largest financial contributors in the previous biennium China Flemish Government, Belgium India Italy Japan Netherlands Norway Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States of America Category 2 – Countries elected by the WHO Regional Committees Bangladesh Brunei Darussalam Ecuador El Salvador Germany Lao PDR Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Malawi Maldives Timor-Leste Tunisia Viet Nam 2012–2014 2014–2016 2013–2015 2013–2015 2012–2014 2013–2015 2012–2014 2012–2014 2014–2016 2013–2015 2013–2015 2014–2016 2012–2014 2012–2014
Category 3 – Other interested Cooperating Parties Nepal Turkey 2012–2014 2012–2014
Category 4 – Permanent members UNAIDS UNDP UNFPA UNICEF WHO The World Bank IPPF ) ) ) ) Cosponsors )
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Annex 2 Report of the Twenty-seventh Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) Meeting UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, WHO, Geneva, 26-27 June 2014 The following attended from SEAR: Mr M Alimuzzaman (Bangladesh) Dr Malabika Roy (India) Dr Sheeza Ali (Maldives) Dr Rojen Sunder Shrestha (Nepal) The twenty-seventh Meeting of the PCC adopted the report of the twenty sixth PCC and considered the reports of the Standing Committee, Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) and Gender and Rights Advisory Panel (GAP). Technical presentations were made on Family Planning/contraception and human rights, Cervical cancer and Quality of care in maternal and perinatal health and recommended specific research on (i) differentials in disease burden, morbidities and mortality in at-risk populations including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Individuals and (ii) their equitable access to health care. In terms of financial matters the PCC considered the current financial situation and report and noted the discrepancy between HRP 2014-15 budget level and the level approved by WHA. The donors present in the meeting also indicated their pledges for 2014 and subsequent years. The main conclusions and recommendations were as follows. Remarks by Assistant Director-General, Family, Women’s and Children’s Health Cluster Sharing the extension of the tenure of Dr Marleen Temmerman’s as Director RHR for one year while expressing serious concern that in the post-2015 development agenda, MDG target 5b was not included under the proposed sub goal 1 in the WHO proposal and that SRH was listed under universal health coverage as one of many components and not prioritized. Recommended that RHR and WHO strengthen their efforts to keep the goal of universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights high on the global health agenda. Report of the Standing Committee Noted the Report of the Standing Committee and recommended that there be more engagement from cosponsors and reports be prepared jointly with them. Strongly suggested that WHO should advocate for the inclusion of MDG 5b on universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as priority in the post-MDG agenda.
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Report of Scientific and Technical Advisory Group Congratulated STAG on the report and recommendation, thanked for its leadership and guidance on strategic issues and endorsed the four reappointments and four new appointments of STAG members. Recommended the presentation of a dissemination strategy for evidence based outputs by the secretariat. Report of Gender and Rights Advisory Panel Noted with much appreciation, the report from the GAP and endorsed the recommendation to disseminate guidelines and to undertake research on mid-level provision of first trimester abortion and women’s self-use of medical abortion. Recommended GAP and STAG to consider the programme analyze the relationship between violence, unsafe abortion, and teen pregnancy and mental health issues in the postpartum period. Supported the ongoing operational research on first trimester abortion and self-use of medical abortion. Progress on Special Programme activities Director’s Annual report 2013 proposed increased focus on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, more research in SRH and not only in family planning and emphasized the importance of addressing equity as a key principle in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. While commending the vast body of work done by HRP as detailed in the report, PCC recommended that in future this be presented in a comprehensive outcomes framework related to the budget for better understanding. Report of the HRP External Evaluation: follow-up to recommendations
Endorsed the report on the implementation of the recommendations of the external evaluation and acknowledge the Department for its comprehensive efforts. Recommended GAP and STAG on the prioritization to support better mobilization of funding to directly link to expected outcomes.
HRP advisory bodies
Recognize the need of further discussion on the proposal to rationalize and reconfigure the HRP advisory bodies. For increased efficiency, recommended aligning GAP and STAG back to back meetings. Emphasized the need for a strong and independent panel on rights, equity and gender and that GAP continues to report directly to PCC to bring cutting-edge issues to the attention of HRP. Endorsed the proposed establishment of the HRP Alliance Steering Committee, incorporating the current Regional Advisory Panels.
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Financial and budget matters
Noted the discrepancy between the HRP 2014-15 budget level and the level approved by WHA. Requested the Secretariat to report back on budget ceiling issues and report to PBAC and the Chair of PCC once the ceiling issue is resolved. Approved the updated ‘Designated funding policy’ for HRP and requested to provide financial reports of HRP implementation separately by ‘designated and ‘undesignated’ funding.
Technical presentations: selected HRP achievements in 2013 Commended and noted the work related to the post-2015 development goals, specifically development of targets for ending preventable maternal mortality and encouraged WHO to build consensus on numeric targets. Recommended that HRP develop a research framework in a systematic way to strengthen the evidence base on the linkages between sexual and reproductive health and rights and suggested using the Human Rights Framework as done for contraceptives more broadly for sexual and reproductive health. Congratulated speakers for their excellent presentations on family planning/contraception and human rights, cervical cancer and improving the quality of care in maternal and perinatal health. Noted the Departments work in generating the evidence base for SRH and rights and value of prioritizing interpersonal quality of care during childbirth. PCC also recognized the importance to support cervical cancer prevention. Recommended that HRP continues research in cervical cancers, initiate research in breast cancer and WHO strengthen coordination mechanisms at the global level to ensure that programmes are implemented effectively. Recommended HRP continue research work to promote companionship in labour in a systematic way to strengthen the evidence base for non-interventionist approaches to improving outcomes for women and their babies Election of Category (3) members of PCC for the period 2015–2017 Brazil and Mongolia as PCC members were elected under Category 3 for a three-year term from 2015. It was agreed to hold PCC (28) on 25–26 June 2015 in Geneva.