PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNFPA PROJECT TO TREAT OBSTETRIC FISTULA IN NIGERIA

“Fistula Fortnight”, the largest-ever United Nations-led surgical effort to provide care for women living with obstetric fistula, has opened in Nigeria -- thought to have one of the world’s highest rates of the heartbreaking injury of childbearing -- with nearly 50 women treated by a team of volunteer doctors and fistula experts yesterday.

daily press briefing by the office of the spokesman for the Secretary-General

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Good afternoon.

**Security Council

Press briefing on Hiv/aids and un workplace

 

For the first time in United Nations history, the world body has launched a system-wide staff training programme dealing with one of the most pressing issues of the day -- HIV/AIDS and the workplace.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Guest at Noon

Our guest today will be Hania Zlotnik, the new Director of the Population Division and she will be here to brief you on “World Population Change:  1950 – 2050 -- The 2004 Revision.”

**UNHCR

PRESS BRIEFING ON WORLD POPULATION TRENDS

 

Although pressured by distinct trends in fertility, mortality, and the continuing spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the world’s population was expected to increase by 2.6 billion over the next 45 years, from about 6.5 billion today to 9.1 billion by 2050, with almost all growth occurring on the less developed regions, according to the United Nations top population monitoring official.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

We’ll start with a statement on the incidence in the DRC today:

PRESS BRIEFING ON REVIEW OF 1995 BEIJING WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

Ahead of next week’s 10-year review and appraisal of progress in achieving gender equality since the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women, and the special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000”, a panel of senior United Nations women’s rights officials today stressed that violence against women, across-the-board discrimination and lack of education and employment opportunities remained key challenges.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**UNCTAD

Press briefing by UNICEF

 

The United Nations Children's Fund’s two highest ranking officials declared today that rape and the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls was not collateral damage, but a war crime for which perpetrators could be tried under international law, although few ever were.

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Guest at Noon

I’ve got quite a few items here for you today.