U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network

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e-mail: irin@irin.org.pk


Asia
IRIN-AS Weekly Round-Up 150
12 - 18 November 2007


CONTENTS:

AFGHANISTAN: Insecurity stops food aid to a Daykundi district
AFGHANISTAN: Six million schoolchildren to receive landmine coaching
AFGHANISTAN: Fifth least developed country in the world
BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat
BANGLADESH: Killer cyclone strikes southern coast
BANGLADESH: Death toll rises, relief operation geared up
NEPAL: Women tortured for being 'witches'
PAKISTAN: Opposition to anti-polio drive weakens
PAKISTAN: Final push in measles campaign
SRI LANKA: UN rights commissioner's visit has limited impact
TURKMENISTAN: Vaccination drive targets three million people


AFGHANISTAN: Insecurity stops food aid to a Daykundi district

A UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy with 50 metric tonnes of mixed 
food aid for thousands of beneficiaries in Geeti district of Daykundi 
province, central-south Afghanistan, could not reach its final 
destination due to security concerns, WFP told IRIN.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75297


AFGHANISTAN: Six million schoolchildren to receive landmine coaching

The government of Afghanistan and the UN Mine Action Center for 
Afghanistan (UNMACA) have launched an awareness campaign to educate more 
than six million schoolchildren countrywide about the risks of landmines 
and unexploded ordnance (UXO), the Ministry of Education (MoE) and UN 
told IRIN on 14 November.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75310


AFGHANISTAN: Fifth least developed country in the world

Afghanistan has dropped a place in a UN global human development index, 
which ranks countries based on their citizens' economic income, life 
expectancy and literacy rate, according to the country's National Human 
Development Report (NHDR) for 2007.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75365


BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Avian flu has re-emerged in Bangladesh after four months, with five 
reported new outbreaks in poultry farms across the country since 
October.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75318


BANGLADESH: Killer cyclone strikes southern coast

Hundreds of people have been confirmed dead and scores more injured 
after a powerful cyclone slammed into the southern coast of Bangladesh, 
destroying homes and forcing millions to flee.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75353


BANGLADESH: Death toll rises, relief operation geared up

Aid agencies in Bangladesh are scrambling to provide relief to thousands 
of victims of Cyclone Sidr, which ravaged the country's southern 
coastline on 15 November and killed at least 2,000 people, according to 
the most recent government estimates.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75364


NEPAL: Women tortured for being 'witches'

Rupisara Darji is still in shock and undergoing medical treatment after 
a brutal beating by her relatives, who accused her of being a witch or 
"boksi" in the Nepalese language. They blamed her for using black magic 
to make a young girl ill in Myagdi district, 400km south of the capital, 
Kathmandu.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75311


PAKISTAN: Opposition to anti-polio drive weakens

Local opposition to polio eradication efforts in western Pakistan is 
declining, health experts claim. Initial indicators provided by the UN 
Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in 
collaboration with the government, suggest 31.1 million children have 
been reached.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75259


PAKISTAN: Final push in measles campaign

The final phase of this year's anti-measles campaign was launched this 
week in a massive effort to immunise millions of children. According to 
health officials, each year an estimated 2.1 million cases of measles 
occur in Pakistan, resulting in 21,000 children dying from measles and 
its complications - 58 children a day.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75300


SRI LANKA: UN rights commissioner's visit has limited impact

Human rights conditions have improved since the visit by UN Human Rights 
High Commissioner Louise Arbour in October, according to local rights 
groups. Activists say her visit not only raised awareness but had some 
tangible results.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75253


TURKMENISTAN: Vaccination drive targets three million people

A nationwide campaign to immunise three million people against measles 
and rubella has been launched, targeting two million children and youth 
(aged seven to 23) and one million women.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75281


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