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Responses
UNFPA: UNFPA share lessons learned and experiences in dealing with reproductive health issues in a culturally sensitive manner, UNFPA Honduras and other United Nations agencies, such as UNDP, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Volunteers have been preparing and will carry out during 2008 an inter-agency project on the theme “Improving maternal mortality indexes”, affecting mainly indigenous groups in the country. Through this project UNFPA Honduras and its sister agencies will contribute to the advancement of goal 5 — improving maternal health. The positive experiences and lessons learned in the region on intercultural health and strategies will be drawn upon to improve project quality and effectiveness.
UNICEF: A national consultation for the improvement of the quality of life of indigenous peoples of Congo Brazzaville took place in November 2007 at the initiative of the Government of Congo, and with the support of UNICEF. More than 80 participants (indigenous leaders, NGOs, the French embassy, the World Bank, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), European Union, etc.), including key stakeholders, participated in that meeting. During the consultation, the main priorities of a national plan of action to address the situation of indigenous peoples and the institutional coordination mechanisms for the plan of action were adopted. The national plan of action includes three strategic areas: (a) development of basic social services culturally adapted to indigenous populations; (b) increase in resources (financial and human) and capacity-building of indigenous community organizations, particularly the national network of indigenous peoples of Congo; (c) and the establishment and adoption of a legislative framework protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. In addition, the national plan of action includes a strategy aimed at reinforcing regional cooperation in order to obtain an efficient and unified response in the West and Central African region. In Malaysia, UNICEF supported training of primary health-care workers, traditional birth attendants and traditional healers working at the district level.
