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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>From:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><A href="mailto:kamayni@gmail.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM>Adv
Kamayani Bali Mahabal</EM></FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM>South Asia
Advocacy Coordinator<BR>Women's Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership
(WHRAP)<BR>Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre For Women (ARROW)<BR>Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia<BR>website: </EM></FONT><A href="http://www.arrow.org.my/"
target=_blank><FONT face=Arial
size=2><EM>http://www.arrow.org.my</EM></FONT></A><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><FONT
size=2>D</FONT><FONT style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif" size=2>ear
Friends <BR></FONT></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Please find below the health panel note and the
program</SPAN> for the South Asia Health Assembly beginning in Colombo
from 18th July- 20th July 2008. <BR></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Friends in Colombo do join us. <BR><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT size=2><SPAN>For more information please
check the website: <A href="http://www.peoplespacesl.org/aboutus.php"
target=_blank>http://www.peoplespacesl.org/aboutus.php</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT size=2><SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT size=2><SPAN>
<HR>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV class=gmail_quote>
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<P style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">"TOWARDS HEALTH FOR ALL – ADDRESSING THE SOUTH ASIAN
DILEMMA"</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Access to basic health services was
affirmed as a fundamental human right by the Declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978.
The reality is that 30 years on in 2008, people in South Asia still do not
have equitable access to even basic services..The SAARC region has one of the
poorest health indicators in<SUP> </SUP>the world with almost 40% of the total
global burden of deaths occurring in the region's four countries alone — it
houses the largest number of people with<SUP> </SUP>micronutrient deficiencies
and diabetes; carries 40% of the<SUP> </SUP>world's tuberculosis burden, and has
a high burden of cardiovascular<SUP> </SUP>diseases and one of the worst
indicators for reproductive health<SUP> </SUP>in the world. The under-5 child
mortality rates are among the highest in the world and almost 70% of the entire
global burden of low birth weight occurs in South Asia. According to the most
recent estimates of WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and World Bank, in 2005, 99% of the
536,000 maternal deaths occurred in developing countries of these 36% were in
South Asia including Afghanistan. India had the largest number of maternal
deaths at 117000, followed by Bangladesh and Pakistan in that order; that
maternal mortality decreased annually at less than 1% between 1990 and 2005 is a
cause of grave concern. Enormous inequities in the provision of health care and
services, skewed priorities compounded by the tumult and conflict in the states
of the region contribute to the abysmal state of health of large number of the
region's population. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">In most South Asian countries, excluding
Sri Lanka, the private medical sector out-performs the public sector. Access to
medical care is increasingly determined not by need, but by the ability to pay.
The introduction of privatization of health has lead to the collapse of the
Public Health System<B> </B>and the emergence of a exploitative profit making
private sector that the poor can hardly afford has created a divided system -
one for the rich and the other for the poor reinforcing the distance and
polarisation between the two groups. A negative impact of
globalisation-liberalisation-privatisation policies is the <I>systemic
weakening</I> of public health delivery that is accompanied by declining and/or
stagnant budgets and is resulting in the deterioration of quality of care. The
gradual withdrawal of the state from investments in public health services,
selective primary healthcare provisions and proliferation of an unregulated
private medical sector are exacerbating the vulnerability of the poor and the
marginalized. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">These issues must be viewed in the backdrop of
enormous developments in many fields and the rapid growth of private enterprise.
India leads most of the world in information technology; both Pakistan and India
boast of nuclear weapons and sophisticated missile delivery systems (and have
been on the brink of nuclear conflict). Multiple incongruities and misplaced
priorities lie at the heart of the South Asian dilemma, where developments in
technology and industrialization have failed to bridge the urban-rural divide
and remove pervasive poverty and social inequity. In particular the low status
of women in South Asia, especially among its rural populations, is of grave
concern. Poverty and gender inequity are not the only social issues that impact
health in South Asia. The rapid growth of religious intolerance and
obscurantism, feuds and armed conflict in the subcontinent over the past two or
more decades, have had enormous implications on the physical and mental health
of its population. The genesis of such upheavals has many dimensions including
macroeconomic policies that exclude the poor and minority groups from benefits
as well as from investments in human development. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">This panel on Health brings together social
scientists and activists from the public health and social science domains
in South Asia to discuss the various health issues and related concerns of
the peoples of the region and deliberate on ways of making SAARC
governments responsive and accountable for living up to the commitment of
providing Health for All.</SPAN></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Co-Organisers of the Health
Panel</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=square>
<LI><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">WHRAP-<SPAN> </SPAN>South
Asia:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The Women's Health and Rights
Advocacy Partnership is part of the vision shared by ARROW and her partners to
move forward the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda through
advocacy across the region. WHRAP brings together women's organisations who
are committed to strengthening civil society capacity to effectively advocate
for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), especially safe
motherhood and young people's SRHR at the local, national and regional
levels.<B>Partners: </B>Chetna and Sahayog – India, Shirkat Gah-
Pakistan, Naripokhkhoo and Bangladesh Women Coalition- Bangladesh<SPAN>
</SPAN>and Beyond Beijing Committee- Nepal . <A
href="http://www.arrow.org.my/"
target=_blank>www.arrow.org.my</A></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=square>
<LI><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Peoples Health Movement-
Srilanka:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> has its roots deep in the
grassroots people's movement and owes its genesis to many health networks and
activists who have been concerned by the growing inequities in health over the
last 25 years. The PHM calls for a revitalisation of the principles of the
Alma-Ata Declaration which promised Health for All by the year 2000 and
complete revision of international and domestic policy that has shown to
impact negatively on health status and systems. <A
href="http://www.phmovement.org/"
target=_blank>www.phmovement.org</A><B></B></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=square>
<LI><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Health Watch Forum </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">is a network active in several north Indian states for
advocacy and monitoring on reproductive health and rights. Healthwatch Forum
maintains the Reprohealth Listserve which is used by advocates and concerned
civil society members to communicate about maternal and reproductive health
and rights across India. SAHAYOG is anchoring the secretariat of Healthwatch
Forum. <A href="http://www.sahayogindia.org/"
target=_blank>www.sahayogindia.org</A><B></B></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 7pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-VARIANT: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Sama is<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Resource Group for Women and Health is based in Delhi
and was initiated by a group of women's health activists from different parts of
India, who have been involved with women's empowerment and health for several
years. Sama believes in confronting all forms of discrimination and emphasizes
on equality, empowerment and rights of women, especially from marginalized
communities, and perceives health from a gender, caste, class and rights
perspective. <A href="http://www.samawomenshealth.org/"
target=_blank>www.samawomenshealth.org</A><B></B></SPAN></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=square>
<LI><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Centre for Health Equity,
Jaipur:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> is<SPAN> </SPAN>an
initiative focusing on issues of inequities and related topics in health
sector.<SPAN> </SPAN>It mobilizes disadvantaged citizens to petition the
government and demand what is rightfully theirs. Focusing primarily on health
equity and accessibility, the Centre<SPAN> </SPAN>monitors issues such
as access to primary health care, the Community AIDS Awareness Program, State
level advocacy programs regarding coercive population
programs.</SPAN><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><A href="http://www.prayaschittor.org/salientf.htm"
target=_blank>www.prayaschittor.org/salientf.htm</A></SPAN></SPAN> </LI></UL>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Panel- Basic Needs- Health</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">"TOWARDS HEALTH FOR ALL</SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">SOUTH ASIAN DILEMMA"</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Date- 19<SUP>th</SUP> July</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Time- 2.00pm- 4.30pm</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Venue: Yamuna- (Tent )</SPAN></B></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"></SPAN> </P>
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<P>1</P></TD>
<TD
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<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Conflict and Health Issues –
<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 30pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN>-<SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 7pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-VARIANT: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Peoples Health
Movement- Sri Lanka-- Sirimal</SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 30pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN>-<SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 7pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-VARIANT: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Women Health Rights
Advocacy Partnership- Nepal- Bina Pradhan</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P></TD>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 104.8pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid"
vAlign=top width=140>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN> </SPAN>2.00-
<SPAN> </SPAN>2.40 pm</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top>
<P>2</P></TD>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Health Care Financing and Universal
Access to Health <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Centre of Human Rights and Social
Justice - Abhijit - India </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
<P> </P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P></TD>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 104.8pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top width=140>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">2.40-<SPAN>
</SPAN>3.00pm</SPAN></B></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top>
<P>3</P></TD>
<TD
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vAlign=top>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Maternal Mortality--- South Asian
Crisis</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">WHRAP- Pakistan and India- Indu Kapoor
<SPAN>
</SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P></TD>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 104.8pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top width=140>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">3.00-<SPAN>
</SPAN>3.20 pm</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top>
<P>4</P></TD>
<TD
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vAlign=top>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Indian Women's Health Charter-
<SPAN><BR></SPAN></SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN></SPAN>Indian Women Health
Movement/ WHRAP - <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Kamayani Bali- Mahabal</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </P></TD>
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 104.8pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid"
vAlign=top width=140>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">3.20-
<SPAN> </SPAN>3.40pm</SPAN></B></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD
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<P>5</P></TD>
<TD
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<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Open Forum- Discussion-</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"Issues and Concerns"</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Moderator-Narendra Gupta,
</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Centre for Health Equity,
Jaipur</SPAN></B></P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></B> </P></TD>
<TD
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vAlign=top width=140>
<P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">3.40-<SPAN>
</SPAN>4.30pm</SPAN></B></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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