Lawmakers Meet in Ottawa to Promote Reproductive Health

OTTAWA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 130 parliamentarians from 70 countries gathered here Thursday to discuss ways for promoting reproductive rights and expanding access to reproductive health care.

At the opening session of the International Parliamentarians' Conference held at Canadian Parliament, Thoraya Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that access to reproductive health care is a matter of life and death. She said about 58 million women give birth each year without any medical help and 350 million women are denied access to safe and effective family planning methods.

"We cannot confront today's massive challenge of poverty, hunger, disease and environmental destruction unless we address the issues of population and reproductive health," stressed Obaid.

Parliamentarians at the conference will discuss how they can help secure funding and strengthen laws, policies and services so that all women and men can enjoy the right to reproductive health.

The sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents are of particular concern to lawmakers since half the world's population today is under 25 and half of all new HIV infection are among young people aged 15-24 with girls at particular risk.

A Chinese delegation led by Peng Peiyun, Vice President of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, is attending the two-day conference.

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