East-West Center Awarded $2.3 Million For Population and Health Research

The East-West Center has received five grants totaling $2,304,283 for population- and health-related research, training and dialogue.

They include two subcontracts from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for projects over the next two years, a grant from the William H. Gates Foundation, a subcontract from the United Nations Population Fund, and grants from the Rockefeller and Packard Foundations:

Young Adult Sexuality

This collaborative project involving institutions in the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Nepal, Taiwan and the United States will assess the extent, nature, determinants and reproductive consequences of premarital sexual activity and other risk behaviors among youth across Asia. The project will produce and widely distribute technical and policy-oriented publications. The ultimate aim is to illuminate the conditions that enhance sexual and reproductive health among adolescents, especially those that can be influenced by policy.

EWC CONTACT: Peter Xenos, 808-944-7410.



HIV Prevalence

This project is designed to identify the most important factors affecting the rate of spread of HIV in Asia. Researchers will analyze the conditions and experience of two major population centers - Bangkok and Manila - where substantial data have been collected over the last decade. They will explore the most effective balance of prevention efforts among high-risk sub-populations and the effect they may have on the rates of growth of the epidemic. Findings will be disseminated to policymakers and program managers responsible for setting prevention policies.

EWC CONTACT: Tim Brown, 808-944-7476.



Population Seminar

The East-West Center's 30th Summer Seminar on Population, scheduled for June of this year, will offer workshops on researching sensitive issues in sexuality and reproductive health, communicating population and health research to policymakers, measuring the cost-effectiveness of reproductive health programs, and researching the linkages between population, environment and health. Participants will be selected from all over Asia.

EWC CONTACT: Peter Xenos, 808-944-7410.



Report on the Future of Asia's Population

The report, written in a non-technical style, will cover such topics as costs and priorities for family planning and health programs, programs for adolescents and young adults, new and re-emerging infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, problems of aging societies, and demographic factors influencing employment and migration. The report will be disseminated widely and published on the Internet, where an electronic forum will be established to solicit reactions and ideas.

EWC CONTACT: Robert Retherford, 808-944-7403.



India's National Family Health Surveys

The first national family health survey in India, proposed and implemented by the East-West Center, was a collaborative research and training activity to enhance the capabilities of India's network of 18 state population centers. The survey collected information on trends in fertility, family planning, and maternal and child health that is comparable with data available for other developing countries. In collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences in India, the Center has produced numerous publications on the policy implications of key findings. The second survey, to be completed this year, will cover approximately 100,000 women throughout India. The EWC will participate in training interviewers and field supervisors, monitoring the survey fieldwork, and assisting in the preparation and editing of survey reports.

EWC CONTACT: Robert Retherford, 808-944-7403.



Forum on Reproductive Health and Family Planning

Participating in this forum March 1-5 at the East-West Center will be representatives from population and development-oriented non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government overseas development assistance (ODA) agencies in the donor countries of Asia and the Pacific (Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand); international donor organizations, and international NGOs. The goal is to improve understanding of demographic trends and their policy and program implications, and share ideas on how to cooperatively and more effectively pursue the goals enunciated in the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development Plan of Action.

EWC CONTACT: Andrew Mason, 808-944-7455.