§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultations she has had about the provisions of the forthcoming field manual to be published by the United Nations High412W Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Population Fund on the subject of reproductive health in refugee situations; and what response she made. [38637]
§ Clare ShortOfficials have been consulted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on a draft manual on Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations. We have highlighted the importance we attach to appropriate standards of care in the provision of all health services, taking account of the dangers to health faced by individuals who are seeking care.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the United Nations' budget for the health needs of refugees, per refugee, for(a) the emergency phase and (b) the post-emergency phase of refugee situations in each of the last 10 years; and what are the projected figures for the next three years. [38641]
§ Clare ShortA full breakdown along the lines requested is not available. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which is responsible for most UN expenditure on refugees, has provided the following figures on the amount of its annual budget spent on health for the last five years.
Year Total budget US$ Millions Health budget US$ Millions Health budget as percentage of total 1994 1,320 106.1 8 1995 1,301.4 96.6 7.4 1996 1,358.2 83.8 6.2 1997 1,214.4 70.3 5.8 1998 1,123.7 51.1 4.5 UNHCR is not able to provide projected figures for the next three years.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the principal causes of mortality in order of prevalence in those refugee camps to which her Department provides assistance. [38642]
§ Clare ShortGlobally the principal causes of mortality in refugee situations, in order of prevalence, are diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection and malaria. The specific prevalence is dependent upon the area in which a given camp is situated.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings officials in her Department(a) have had and (b) plan to have with NGOs to discuss the use of manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions in refugee camps. [38639]
§ Clare ShortMy Officials maintain regular dialogue with a large number of non governmental organisations working in the field of reproductive health in refugee situations. These discussions underscore the duty of providers of reproductive health services to ensure that quality health care is provided, making use of technologies that are safe and appropriate to the setting. The subject of manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions was not raised at a recent discussion with representatives of over twenty agencies active in the reproductive health field; though informal representations 413W received more recently from personnel working for three non governmental organisations have been received and taken up with the UNHCR.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding from independent sources was received by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in each of the last 10 years; and what assessment she has made of the extent to which such sources are also involved in funding population control activities. [38640]
§ Clare ShortUNHCR receives voluntary contributions from many sources. The table gives a breakdown of contributions received for 1994–1997.
US$ million Year Governmental Inter-governmental Private Total 1994 791.8 234.7 29.1 1,055.6 1995 754.2 225.4 16.7 996.3 1996 809.8 147.7 12.4 969.9 1997 679.9 117.9 8.8 806.6 No assessment has been made of the extent to which such sources are involved in reproductive health care. UNHCR seeks to provide comprehensive reproductive health care within primary health care programmes and engages no population control activities.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to support programmes to protect women in refugee camps from pressures to use inappropriate post-coital and abortion techniques; and if she will make a statement. [38645]
§ Clare ShortIt is my Department's policy to support programmes that offer all women and men essential health care, including reproductive health care, information and services, that responds to their demands and offers them informed choices. My view is that women in refugee camps are entitled to free and informed choice in line with best medical practice.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations her Department has recently received about the use of manual vacuum aspiration for performing abortions in refugee camps; whether her Department issues guidance to refugee workers about complications arising from the use of such techniques in refugee camps and other non-sterile environments; and if she will make a statement. [38636]
§ Clare ShortMy Department has received comments from personnel who work with three non governmental organisations on a draft manual on Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations which is being prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They have questioned sections of the manual which relate to procedures for managing incomplete abortions, or miscarriages, experienced by women in refugee situations. We have conveyed these concerns to UNHCR.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines international standards for safety of elective and emergency gynaecological procedures and this guidance is of course available to refugee workers.
414W
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the extent of the compliance of the distribution of post coital contraception in refugee camps with the terms of the safety information provided by the manufacturers; and if she will make a statement. [38644]
§ Clare ShortThe World Health Organisation defines standards for the appropriate provision of emergency contraception in all settings. It is our assessment that all women should have access to the information, services and commodities that they need to have children by choice, and be able to use them safely.