Empowering Girls to Choose Their Future

As the international community marks World Population Day, UN Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner calls for increased attention on adolescent pregnancy

 

Washington, DC (July 11, 2013) –In recognition of World Population Day, the United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner released the following statement.  

"From the beginning, the UN Foundation has believed in the tremendous potential of investing in adolescent girls. Today, there are more than 500 million girls in developing countries, and these girls have the opportunity to shape our future, if we help give them the opportunities to shape their own lives. These girls face tremendous challenges – they are often taken out of school early, married at a very young age, vulnerable to violence, and with limited access to quality reproductive health care, often become pregnant before their bodies are ready. As a result, pregnancy is the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 in developing countries.

"The consequences of adolescent pregnancy reverberate throughout a girl's life, not only impacting her, but her children and the generations that follow. But we can change this: access to reproductive health care (Millennium Development Goal 5), including comprehensive sexual education and voluntary family planning, is a cost-effective solution that empowers girls to choose their path in life. When girls are given the information, tools and services they need to plan their families, they are better able to stay in school and pursue employment, lifting themselves out of poverty. This leads to healthier and stronger families, more prosperous and sustainable communities, and more peaceful and secure nations. It's not only the right thing to do; it's a smart investment.

"This World Population Day, the UN Foundation, in support of the United Nations and our partners, is committed to helping every girl reach her full potential. To do so, the international community must redouble efforts to invest in girls' education, health and welfare, and ensure that every girl has the information and services she needs to plan her family and her future. Our future depends on it."

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About The United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.

DNDi press release: Three Neglected-Disease Treatments Newly Added to the WHO Essential Medicines List for Paediatric Use

Three Neglected-Disease Treatments Newly Added to the WHO Essential Medicines List for Paediatric Use

 

Resulting from DNDi's paediatric R&D, the treatments will improve the management of deadly malaria, African sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease in children

 

 

[Geneva, Switzerland – 11 July 2013] – This week the World Health Organization (WHO) released its newly updated 4^th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), in which three treatments developed by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and its partners have now been included. One treatment was also added to the 18^th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) for adults.

 

·        Artesunate-mefloquine fixed-dose combination (ASMQ FDC) was added to the EMLc for the treatment of malaria in children, and to the EML for adults, in line with current WHO treatment guidelines. ASMQ FDC was developed with Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz (Brazil) and launched first in Brazil in 2008. After a technology transfer to Cipla (India), ASMQ FDC was prequalified by WHO in 2012, and registered in India, Malaysia, and Myanmar in 2011-2013.

 

·        Nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) was added to the EMLc for the treatment of late-stage sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis) in children. Developed in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières, Epicentre, and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, NECT was launched and added to the EML for adult treatment in 2009. NECT is the first new treatment option in over 25 years for sleeping sickness. It has been implemented and distributed by WHO - supported by donations by Sanofi and Bayer - through national control programmes in the 12 sub-Saharan African countries where 98% of late-stage sleeping sickness cases occur, replacing an old, toxic, arsenic-based drug that was commonly used before.

 

·        Paediatric dosage form of benznidazole was added to the EMLc for the treatment of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in children. This child-adapted formulation of benznidazole - the main drug used to treat Chagas disease - was developed in partnership with Lafepe (Brazil) as an easily dispersible tablet for simple and accurate oral use in young children. The treatment was registered in Brazil in 2011.

 

'Children are often the first victims of parasitic diseases in developing countries, so we are very pleased that three life-saving, neglected-disease treatments for paediatric use, developed by DNDi and our partners, have been added to the WHO's Essential Medicines Lists,' said Dr Bernard Pécoul, Executive Director of DNDi. 'This will facilitate access, quick adoption, and use by endemic countries to ensure they benefit young patients most in need.'

 

Updated every two years, the WHO's EML and EMLc serve as critical guides for informing country-level essential medicine lists, procurement and supply of medicines, and clinical decision-making.

 

The inclusions of these new paediatric therapeutic options to the WHO EMLc attest to the urgent, specific treatment needs of children threatened by neglected diseases such as African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, and highlight the leading public-goods product-development work of DNDi in the area of paediatric research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases and patients.

 

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About WHO EML

Main webpage: http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/en/

Executive Summary, July 2013: http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/expert/19/EC19_Executive_summary_Final_web_8Jul2013.pdf

 

About ASMQ FDC
The combination of artesunate (AS) and mefloquine (MQ), two well-established drugs for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, has proven its efficacy after 20 years of clinical use. However, the non-fixed dose combination posed problems of patient compliance and potential development of drug resistance. In order to address this, ASMQ fixed-dose combination (FDC) was developed by the Fixed-Dose Artesunate-Based Combination Therapies (FACT) Consortium, created by DNDi and the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) in 2002. ASMQ FDC was developed through an innovative partnership with the Brazilian public pharmaceutical company Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz and was registered in Brazil in 2008, India in 2011, and Malaysia and Myanmar in 2012. ASMQ FDC is prequalified by WHO (meets standards of quality, safety, and efficacy). Through a technology transfer from Farmanguinhos to the Indian generic-drug manufacturer Cipla, ASMQ FDC is also produced and available in Asia. It is easy to use, with once daily administration of one or two tablets over three days for patients of all ages (from children aged 6 months through to adults) and has a two-year shelf-life in tropical conditions.
www.dndi.org/treatments/asmq.html

 

About NECT
Launched in 2009, nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) was the first new treatment in over 25 years for late-stage human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). It consists of co-administration of oral nifurtimox tablets (10 days) and intravenous (IV) infusions of eflornithine (14 infusions over 7 days). NECT was added to the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) in 2009 and is on the essential medicines list of 12 African countries that account for 98% of reported cases of sleeping sickness. Over 60% of all late-stage sleeping sickness patients in endemic countries (2011), and 96% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; 2012), the country with the most cases, were treated with NECT. NECT was the result of a six-year collaboration among DNDi, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Epicentre, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, and the sleeping sickness national control programmes of the DRC and Republic of Congo, with support from WHO. The drugs are donated by Sanofi and Bayer, and the treatment kits are prepared and distributed by MSF Logistique.
www.dndi.org/treatments/nect-c-treatments.html

 

About Paediatric Dosage Form of Benznidazole
The paediatric dosage form of benznidazole was launched in December 2011 for the treatment of Chagas disease in children. The age-adapted 12.5-mg dispersible tablet is easy to use, affordable, and non-patented, designed for use in infants and young children under 2 years of age (20 kg body weight). Treatment is designed to use one, two, or three tablets, depending on weight (recommended dosage, 5-10 mg/kg body weight/day). Since the paediatric tablet is easily disintegrated and requires no tablet fractionation (pill cutting), treatment of children is simplified, with improved dosing accuracy, safety, and adherence. The new treatment was the result of a collaboration between DNDi and LAFEPE (Pernambuco State Pharmaceutical Laboratory/Laboratório Farmacêutico do Estado de Pernambuco), the second largest public laboratory in Brazil. The paediatric dosage form was granted registration by Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), and available for procurement through the PAHO Strategic Fund and LAFEPE. Tools to facilitate implementation of and access to the new treatment include a Demand Forecasting Planning Tool, Procurement Guide, and Tool Box of training and educational materials for doctors and caregivers.
www.dndi.org/treatments/paediatricbenz.html

 

About DNDi
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organization working to deliver new treatments for the most neglected diseases, in particular sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, filaria, and paediatric HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2003, DNDi has delivered six new treatments: two fixed-dose antimalarials (ASAQ and ASMQ), nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) for late-stage sleeping sickness, sodium stibogluconate and paromomycin (SSG&PM) combination therapy for visceral leishmaniasis in Africa, a set of combination therapies for visceral leishmaniasis in Asia, and a paediatric dosage form of benznidazole for Chagas disease. DNDi was established by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Indian Council of Medical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Ministry of Health of Malaysia, and Institut Pasteur in France, with the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) as a permanent observer.
www.dndi.org 

 

 

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Fwd: Global Leaders Gather at the World Justice Forum IV to Advance the Rule of Law Worldwide

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2013

Contact: Ana Victoria Cruz

Phone: +1 (202) 407-9326

E-Mail: cruza@wjpnet.org

 

Global Leaders Gather at the World Justice Forum IV to Advance the Rule of Law Worldwide

 

Featured speakers include United States Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Deputy Speaker of the Tunisian National Assembly Mehrézia Labidi-Maïza; retired Director General of the Indian Police Service Kiran Bedi; lawyer, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Founder & President of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran Dr. Shirin Ebadi; Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba; Advocate, Security Researcher & Developer of the TOR Project Jacob Appelbaum, Malian Singer & Executive Director of the Festival au Désert Manny Ansar; Writer, Activist, & Former Director General of the Egyptian Health Education Department Dr. Nawal El Saadawi; Founder & Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning Sakena Yakoobi; Founder & Chief Innovator, Grupo 42 Santiago Siri, and more.

 

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The World Justice Project (WJP), an independent organization working to advance the rule of law worldwide, today opened the World Justice Forum IV – a global gathering designed to engage nearly 600 leaders, dignitaries, and innovators from more than 120 countries to address critical rule of law issues related to economic development, technology, supply chains, women's rights, freedom of expression, and more.

 

Over the course of three days, participants will engage in formal plenary and active breakout sessions, learn about innovative rule of law programs, meet with researchers and scholars during Index office hours, and work together to develop practical, on-the-ground programs to strengthen the rule of law. Examples of past programs include ensuring women's rights in Sierra Leone, helping marginalized communities in India obtain basic health care, promoting labor rights of indigenous workers in Mexico, combatting corruption in construction in Tunisia, protecting the rights of pollution victims in China, and increasing access to civil justice for the poor in the United States.

 

The Forum also provides a venue for discussion and debate about the findings of the WJP Rule of Law Index®, the most comprehensive assessment tool of its kind that measures how well countries adhere to the rule of law in practice, reflecting the actual conditions experienced by their citizens.

 

"We all benefit when communities near and far embrace the rule of law," said William H. Neukom, founder and CEO of The World Justice Project. "Over 120 countries and even more backgrounds are represented at this Forum, all of whom share our appreciation for the rule of law as a foundation for communities of opportunity and equity. In that spirit, the next three days are designed to spark the conversations, knowledge sharing, and practical planning needed to move this ideal forward."

 

At the Opening Plenary session of the World Justice Forum, thought leaders from diverse sectors and regions will bring to life the topic of rule of law and why it matters to daily life, including Anthony Kennedy, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court; Peter Rees QC, Legal Director, Royal Dutch Shell plc; Sakena Yacoobi, Founder & Executive Director, Afghan Institute of Learning; Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town; Santiago Siri, Founder and Chief Innovator, Grupo 42; and Maria Livanos Cattaui, Former Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce.

 

Key sessions at the Forum include findings from the latest WJP Rule of Law Index and topical panels covering such diverse areas as ethical supply chains, sports and the rule of law, security and law enforcement, sustainable water solutions, access to technology, improving the legal framework for disaster relief, food justice, and more. Other highly anticipated sessions include an "Open Discussion with the UN on the Role of Rule of Law in Peace & Security, Development, and Human Rights" and a special panel on women leaders who have faced challenges in regard to the rule of law, featuring U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr. Shirin Ebadi; and Former Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, Ellen Gracie Northfleet.

 

On Thursday, July 11, the World Justice Project will announce the winner of its Rule of Law Award at the Forum.

 

The full agenda, speaker biographies, and multimedia are available at www.worldjusticeproject.org. Follow us on Twitter @TheWJP and on Facebook for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #WJForum.

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About the World Justice Project

The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, nonprofit organization working to advance the rule of law around the world. Establishing the rule of law is fundamental to achieving communities of opportunity and equity—communities that offer sustainable economic development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights. Our multi-national, multi-disciplinary efforts are dedicated to stimulating government reforms, developing practical programs at the community level, and increasing public awareness about the concept and practice of the rule of law. For more information about the World Justice Project, please visit www.worldjusticeproject.org.

 

The WJP Rule of Law Index

The WJP Rule of Law Index® is a quantitative assessment tool designed to provide a detailed picture of the extent to which countries adhere to the rule of law. It is the most comprehensive index of its kind, reflecting the actual conditions experienced by the population. The Index uses expert questionnaires and general population polls to assess issues of government accountability, security and fundamental rights, openness of government and the regulatory environment, and delivery of justice. To date, over 97,000 people have been interviewed in 97 countries. A new Index with expanded coverage will be released in late 2013. To learn more, please visit: www.worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index.

 

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