5th International Dialog on Population and Sustainable Development BERLIN, October 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- "Today, on the UN's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we appeal to everyone to commit themselves to the fight against poverty," said Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in her opening address at the 5th International Dialog on Population and Sustainable Development. "Rapid population growth is triggering a spiral of poverty in poor countries. The promotion of family planning is therefore a key challenge in the fight against poverty in these countries." For the fifth time, German state aid organizations and international aid agencies, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Schering AG, are staging the International Dialog on Population and Sustainable Development in Berlin. 150 experts in international development cooperation, economics and science will discuss issues including the concrete effects of demographic development on the economy, the environment, health, women's rights and sexual rights. Dr. Ulrich Kostlin, member of Schering AG's Executive Board and the future Bayer Schering Pharma AG's Management Board, underlined his company's commitment to sustainable development: "The aim of our family planning program is to ensure that people in poor regions of the world also have a choice of contraceptive methods. Together with our partners, we are making an important contribution to reaching the UN's Millennium Development Goals." Gill Greer, Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the umbrella organization of all pro familia organizations, emphasized the need to facilitate people's physical and mental well-being in relation to everything relating to sexuality and reproduction. This not only benefited the health of mother and child; sexual and reproductive health also had a positive effect on the family, the local resources and education. Dr. Michael Hofmann, Head of the Department of Global and Sectoral Tasks, European and Multilateral Development Policy, Africa, Middle East, at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), underlined a legal aspect: one aim of development cooperation in the context of family planning and reproductive health was to contribute towards ensuring that every woman and every man had access to the necessary information and health services and could exercise their right to decide freely on pregnancies and the timing thereof. Dr. Jorg F. Maas, co-organizer and Executive Director of the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) emphasized: "If we want to effectively reduce poverty and hunger in the poorest countries of the world, then more support must be given to family planning, sex education and health." According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 120-150 million women worldwide want to use family planning methods but have no access to information or the corresponding services. Improving access to contraceptives is therefore a global task. It requires joint efforts by governments, non-government organizations and the private sector. If you have any questions or requests for interviews, please contact: g+h communication Ms. Rhan Gunderlach, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-02 Ms. Annette Hornung, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-03, email: DATASOURCE: Schering AG CONTACT: If you have any questions or requests for interviews, please contact: g+h communication, Ms. Rhan Gunderlach, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-02, Ms. Annette Hornung, Tel.: +49(0)30-236-23406-03, email:

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