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China calls for more efforts in reproductive health

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-18 18:16

BEIJING: Senior Chinese legislator Chen Zhili Sunday called for further increase in investment on reproductive health and enhance cooperation in this regard.

Chen, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, made the comment when addressing the Fifth Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health which opened here Sunday.

Chen called on Asia-Pacific countries to attach greater importance to population and family planning, put more funds into the reproductive health and family planning programs, intensify the capability building of developing countries and take concrete actions to enhance cooperation in these fields.

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China has been seriously honoring its commitments to the millenary aims set by the International Conference on Population and Development, said Chen, who is also president of the All-China Women's Federation.

Chen said China has put more efforts in legislature ensuring citizens' rights in reproductive health, in expanding free and quality services in both urban and rural areas, and in rewarding rural residents who abide by the family planning policy.

Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, said that the Asia-Pacific region is exploring and developing new exciting areas of reproductive health and that there are limitless opportunities through cooperation to cope with challenges.

The international community has agreed that reproductive health is part of human rights, Obaid said.

The Asia-Pacific region boasts more than half of the world's young people, aged between 15 to 24, said Zhao Baige, deputy director of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission.

"They have posed great challenges in reproductive health care," Zhao said. "For example, millions of them migrate to cities every year, which makes their access to reproductive health services more difficult."

The conference has been a biennial event since 2001 organized by Asia-Pacific countries to discuss issues on population and reproductive health.