Asian Population Association

Minutes of the Council meeting

Present:

President:? Prof. Leela Visaria
Vice President:? Prof. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi
Secretary General:? Dr. Anthony Abeykoon
Treasurer:? Prof. Aphichat Chamratrithirong

Council Members:
Prof. Moneer Alam
Dr. Abbas Bhuiya
Prof. Terry H. Hull
Dr. Shireen Jejeebhoy
Prof. Naohiro Ogawa

Executive Secretary:? Prof. Bhassorn Limanonda

01. The first Council Meeting of the Asian Population Association (APA) was held in the Board Room of Tawana Hotel, Bangkok during 7-8 February, 2009 chaired by? Prof. Leela? Visaria, the President. In welcoming the Council members Prof. Visaria stated that it is a great opportunity and? challenge? to the APA? to promote population issues in Asia and sought the cooperation of? Council members to work towards meeting the objectives of the APA. The President then informed the Council of the death of Dr. Michael A. Koenig who has contributed immensely to the field of population and reproductive health. The President read out the following note on behalf of the Council:

?The Council of the Asia Population Association is saddened to learn of the death of Dr Michael A Koenig. Dr Koenig contributed immensely to building evidence in the areas of population studies, sexual and reproductive health issues and violence against women and much of his work focused on Asia, mainly Bangladesh and India, but also China and Vietnam. He was passionate about the importance of improving the sexual and reproductive health situation in our region and for empowering women to exercise their reproductive rights. His vision and his insights have gone a long way in influencing change in these issues in our region. We remember him as a compassionate, caring and supportive person, someone with a subtle sense of humour and someone who always put people first. The Council pays tribute to his rich contributions?.

As a mark of respect the Members of the Council? observed a one-minute silence.

02. Prof. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi, Vice President reporting on the establishment of the APA stated that the idea of establishing the Asian Population Association was first mooted at a regional meeting at Mahidol University in 2004. Subsequently, it was? raised again at the Population Association of? Pakistan in 2005, and at the International Conference on Emerging Population Issues in the Asia-Pacific region: Challenges for the 21st Century in Mumbai, India. Based on these discussions, an internet forum was organized during 5-11 September 2007 where many demographers and population experts joined the discussion and expressed their views. As a result, an Establishment Committee was set up in 2007 which held its first meeting in Tehran and decided to set up the Secretariat of? the APA at the College of Population Studies of? Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He further noted that a Nominations Committee? was appointed in 2008 to select candidates for election to the first Council. The list of selected candidates was submitted to the second meeting of the Establishment Committee which was held in Bangkok in early June, 2008. The first online election of members to the APA Council took place during September-October, 2008 and the elected Council members were announced in the following month. The online election was a great success as nearly two third of the members voted at the election. Prof. Jalal Abbasi further stated that a considerable amount of work was undertaken to bring the APA to its present status and thanked the members of the Establishment Committee, Nominations Committee, APA Secretariat and all those who supported and contributed towards the establishment of the APA. He? noted that sustainability and development of the APA, would require the continued support and dedication of its members? and the Council.?

03. Prof. Bhassorn Limanonda the Executive Secretary speaking on administrative matters stated that currently there are 578 regular members and 118 student members. The break down by country shows that about 33 per cent of the members are from India followed by 9 percent from Iran. It was noted that in some countries, the number of members was very low. She also observed that fund raising should receive priority to make APA financially stable. She further noted that the list of members of the newly elected Council as well as other necessary documents need? to be submitted to the Ministry of? Interior of the Government of Thailand for approval.

04. The Council after carefully examining the Interim Constitution drafted by the Establishment Committee of APA unanimously approved it. The Council also reviewed the list of members and approved the applications of? 24 Regular Members and 16 Student Members who had applied after 31st August, 2008. As there were errors in the classification of? family names and given names, it was suggested that members? be given? clear instructions and? requested? to go to the website to correct their personal information.

05. In order to increase the membership of the APA, a sub-committee comprising of Prof. Leela Visaria, Prof. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi, Dr. Anthony Abeykoon, Prof. Bhassorn Limanonda and Prof. Naohiro Ogawa was formed. It was also agreed to link the websites of? national Population Associations of Asia to that of the APA. The Council also decided to continue with the free membership for the year 2009. However, it was decided to fix the annual membership fee at US $ 25 from 1st January, 2010.

06. Prof.? Moneer Alam reported to the Council that APA has been given a time slot at the forthcoming IUSSP Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco in 2009. The theme of the session will be ?Demographic? Landscape in Asia?. Papers will be presented by Prof. Gavin Jones, Prof. Moneer Alam, Prof. Noriko Tsuya and Prof. Youssef Courbage. Prof. Terry Hull of? the APA will function as the discussant.

07. Prof. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi informed the Council that Professor John Casterline, Chair of the International Outreach Committee of the Population Association of America (PAA) has offered to provide support to the APA. Several initiatives have been proposed. The first is to host an APA session at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the PAA. The PAA has also informed that it would be willing to pay the expenses? of four to five APA members who are selected to attend and present papers at the joint APA-PAA session. In addition, PAA has offered to provide financial and technical support for a training workshop for about fifteen APA members to be held preceding the 2010 APA Conference. The Council proposed to hold? the training workshop on either of the following themes; ?methodology? or ?scientific writing?. Prof. Terry Hull was nominated to discuss the details of APA-PAA collaboration at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the PAA. He will, on behalf of the Council propose the APA session for the? PAA Annual Meeting in 2010.

08. The Council decided to hold the first APA Conference in India during 14-19 November 2010.? Thailand was suggested as the alternative venue. The Scientific Committee for the conference will comprise of Prof. Leela Visaria,? Prof.? Jalal Abbasi, Prof. Terry Hull and Dr. Shereen Jejeebhoy will act as the convener. The Committee will send by 15th April 2009 the thematic list to all APA members? and ask for their suggestions on themes for the APA Conference.. By June, the Session Organizers will be identified. The conference announcement will be made in September. The deadline for submission of abstracts of papers by members will be during November-December and the results will be announced on 15th March 2010. Full papers will be uploaded on the APA conference web in July 2010. Prof Jalal Abbasi will arrange for the use of IUSSP conference software package? In addition,? Prof. Leela Visaria, Dr. Shereen Jejeebhoy and Prof.? Moneer Alam have been assigned the task of making a preliminary assessment of? organizational facilities of holding the Conference in? India and report to the Council by 15th April 2009.

09. As regards APA awards, after a discussion it was decided to defer it for the future as it was felt? that after a few years of activity,? the APA will be in a better position institute such awards.

10. With regard to thematic or regional working groups, it was decided that the APA members should be given the choice of suggesting the relevant themes and taking the leadership in forming these groups. The Council felt that it would be good to initially? limit the number to a small number of working groups so that focused attention could be given to burning issues in the Asian region.? A note on scientific groups as a guide to members will be prepared by Dr. Abbas Bhuiya and Prof. Terry Hull and will be?? placed on the APA web by 15th April 2009.

11. The Council agreed to the suggestion expressed by Prof. Gavin Jones, Editor of the Asian Population Studies Journal to prepare a short commentary about the APA to be placed in the next issue of the journal.? Prof. Leela Visaria, and Prof.? Jalal Abbasi will prepare the commentary. It was decided to prepare a APA Brochure for distribution among relevant institutions and individuals. Prof. Leela Visaria, and Prof.? Jalal Abbasi agreed to complete it by 15th April, 2009.? It was also decided to produce an electronic Newsletter of the APA which will be sent to the members? periodically.? Prof. Bhassorn Limanonda agreed to? design the newsletter with the help of the webmaster by March 2009.

12. With regard to fund raising for the APA, it was agreed that two separate proposals should be submitted to potential donors: one for the first APA Conference and the other for APA administrative matters. The proposal for the Conference will be written by Prof. Leela Visaria, Dr. Shereen Jejeebhoy and Prof.? Moneer Alam? and the other will be done by Prof. Apichat Camratrithrong, Prof. Bhassorn Limanonda and Prof. Terry Hull. Both proposals will be ready by 15th April 2009.

13. It was decided to hold the next APA Council meeting in Marrakech, Morocco in September, 2009 as most of the Council members will be attending the IUSSP Conference.

14. Finally, the President thanked all the Council members for their active participation and the Executive Secretary for the excellent facilities arranged for the Meeting. She also remarked that the APA members have elected a fine team to the Council and look forward to a productive term of service.