Within the framework of the regionalisation of UNFPA, the Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia held its first Regional Planning Meeting, which took place in Bratislava from 17-19 March.

The purpose of the meeting was to introduce and to mainstream new working modalities, discuss the region’s specific nuances and the dynamics of the European Union and to liaise with regional partners. The meeting gathered UNFPA Headquarters staff, including UNFPA Executive Director, Ms. Thoraya Obaid, over 33 regional UNFPA Heads of country offices as well as the newly created Bratislava Office Team. The new Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Thea Fierens, lead the meeting and the discussions.

Within the Roundtable on “ICPD+15” Neil Datta, EPF Secretary provided latest information on the political developments in terms of achieving the goals of ICPD and alerted the participants on negative developments in terms of development aid in several EU countries. During the “External Workshop”, Marina Davidashvili, EPF’s Network and Knowledge Sharing Facilitator shared lessons learned in parliamentary advocacy in Eastern and Central Europe and especially referred to a number of success stories drawn from the 3 years EC/UNFPA Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in South Caucasus, to which EPF is a partner.