(2) if he will place in the Library copies of reports on population control in China received by his Department from the (a) International Planned Parenthood Federation and (b) United Nations Fund for Population Activities; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will place in the Library copies of recent comments made by (a) the United Nations Population Fund and (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation relating to coercive population policies in China; and if he will make a statement.
Copies of the last two annual reports published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be placed in the Library. UN agencies publish their annual reports on their external websites:
www.unfpa.org/about/report
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not hold copies of reports and/or comments on population control in China from or with regard to (a) UNFPA and (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). The UK Government do not support China’s one-child policy or its implementation. We are working to promote and uphold the principles of free and informed choice as set out at the international conference on population and development in Cairo in 1994. UNFPA and IPPF are both working to promote reform and change in China. Neither supports the one- child policy or its implementation. As a condition of UNFPA support, the Chinese authorities have removed birth quotas and targets within the counties in which UNFPA provides support.
The British representative on the Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is an accredited member of the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations, acting under the direction of the UK ambassador to the UN.
The current incumbent has specialist skills and qualifications in both economics and international relations. They also have seven years of practical experience working across government in the UK and four years experience working in the multilateral system.
Meetings have been held at official level with both the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) since the new Administration took power. Both USAID and PEPFAR are experiencing considerable transition and it will take some months before policy and funding changes are clarified. Discussions will be on-going to engage with and where appropriate to influence this process.
The UK Government welcome early signs of the new US Administration’s support for family planning and sexual reproductive health and rights. Rescinding the Mexico City Policy paves the way for organisations such as the International Planned Parenthood Fund (IPPF) to apply for US funding. In addition the US President has made a clear statement in support of UNFPA and the US Congress has already passed the omnibus financial year 2009 Spending Bill that provides for US$50 million for UNFPA.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has successfully demonstrated that non-coercive family planning methods can be effective in China. UNFPA’s policies and activities in China, as in the rest of the world, are in strict conformity with the unanimously adopted programme of action of the international conference on population and development in 1994.
UNFPA’s policy of constructive engagement with the Chinese Government is helping to influence China’s approach to reproductive health and rights. For example the Chinese national population and family planning commission and the Ministry of Health have begun to harmonise standards of service delivery protocols to include UNFPA quality of care principles, such as counselling, to enable informed choice and promote client rights.