Note to Correspondents

Days Before World Convenes on Migration, UNFPA to Launch Report on Women,

Youth, International Migration

 

Women are half of all international migrants, but their rights and concerns are largely ignored, says a forthcoming report by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.  The State of World Population 2006, embargoed until 1200 GMT on its release date of 6 September, just days before a major United Nations meeting on migration and development, the report stresses that migration can be a win-win situation, but only, if women’s rights, health and needs are addressed.

UNFPA will also release Moving Young, a youth supplement to the report, featuring the stories of 10 young people whose lives have been shaped by migration.

Launch Details

Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UNFPA Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, will launch the report at a press conference in London on 6 September.  For information, contact Peter Robbs: +44 1480 465328, peter.robbs@ukonline.co.uk, or Claire Hoffman, +44 208 892 5215, claire.hoffman@ukonline.co.uk.

In New York, Laura Laski, Senior Technical Adviser, will present the report at a press conference at 11:15 a.m. at United Nations Headquarters, Room S-226.  Contacts: Omar Gharzeddine, +1 212 297 5028, gharzeddine@unfpa.org, or Abubakar Dungus, +1 212 297 5031, dungus@unfpa.org.

In Washington, D.C., Maria Jose Alcala, the report’s principal author, will present it at 10 a.m. at the United Nations Foundation.  Other participants will include United States Representative Carolyn Maloney ( New York); Kathleen Newland, Migration Policy Institute; and Susan Forbes Martin, Georgetown University and Director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration.  Contact: Sarah Craven, +1 202 326 8713, craven@unfpa.org.

The report is available in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish.  Journalists may access the embargoed report and all related materials by requesting a password from: http://www.unfpa.org/swp/request.cfm.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.  UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

UNFPA’s State of World Population report has been published annually since 1978.  Each year, the report focuses on questions of current interest and concern for the future.

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For information media • not an official record