UNFPA regional director calls on Minister Meriton |23 November 2013

UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) regional director Dr Agathe Lawson and Designated Minister Vincent Meriton have discussed ways to further strengthen collaboration between the organisation and its partners in Seychelles.

Dr Lawson paid a courtesy call on Mr Meriton, who is also the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports, yesterday morning.
The meeting was attended by Vincent Okullo, an UNFPA volunteer, and the special adviser for social affairs Marie-Josée Bonne.

It aimed at identifying further areas that the UNFPA will concentrate on with respect to the ongoing technical help programme.
Discussions ensued on the launch of the Campaign on the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality in Africa (Carmma) by the Ministry of Health and its linkage with the social renaissance initiative.  

The Carmma campaign can be integrated within the work of our communities and also at the point of service delivery.
Dr Lawson mentioned that the African Union felt it necessary to focus on this campaign with the aim of achieving the millennium development goals milestone related to goals, 4, 5, and 6 relating to maternal and child health issues, but not forgetting the issue of men’s health.

She confirmed that men’s health and adolescent/youth health are areas that are being given prominence in Seychelles, as opposed to other countries of the continent and this is to be applauded.

She also mentioned that in Niger there is a progamme called ‘School for Husbands’ which gives a one-week programme on health-related matters affecting men, women, children, babies, sexual reproductive health issues and it is possible that Seychelles could consider something similar – especially linked to the social renaissance campaign.

A new quarterly newsletter giving brief information on the work of the UNFPA (Indian Ocean) was handed to Minister Meriton.  
Discussions also focused on the recruitment of a local consultant and training of staff members of the gender secretariat.

The involvement of Seychelles in two forthcoming meetings as the culmination of the 20th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development in 2014 was also brought up.