News and Updates
18 November 2009
2009 - ICPD at 15
NGOs for ICPD at 15
State of the World Population
13 November 2009
ICPD15 forum in Istanbul on population issues in the region
ISTANBUL - The ICPD at 15 forum was held on 12-13 November 2009, in Istanbul, Turkey and was organized by the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECARO) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), the European Network of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the State Planning Organization of Turkey (SPO). At the Forum participants, including Government officials, Members of Parliament, researchers and academic experts as well as representatives of NGOs, took stock of where countries in the region stand in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action, through the prism of the MDGs. Participants also explored ideas and opportunities that could guide Europe through the population challenges that it is facing. more12 November 2009
Maternal mortality halved in Eatern Europe and Central Asia, but too many women still die giving life
ISTANBUL – Decision-makers and government officials from 20 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have pledged to step up the fight against needless deaths and suffering resulting from pregnancy and childbirth. In a Statement of Commitment issued in Istanbul late last night, delegates to a high-level meeting recognized that investment in the health and rights of women is smart economics, especially during a financial crisis, and that family planning is one of the most cost-effective investments in reducing the maternal deaths that continue to affect the region. more09 November 2009
UNFPA welcomes WHO report on women and health
GENEVA - UNFPA has welcomed a new report by the World Health Organization, Women and Health: Today’s Evidence, Tomorrows Agenda, which concludes that despite significant progress over the past two decades, societies are still failing women at crucial points in their lives: at birth, in childhood and adolescence, in adulthood and when they age. “UNFPA especially welcomes that the WHO Report highlights the consequences and costs of failing to address women’s health issues because we still face many challenges to ensure that health systems work for women. We need to join forces to improve the health and lives of girls and women around the world,” said, Alanna Armitage, Director of the UNFPA Office in Geneva. more06 November 2009
Solomon Islands census gets boost from EC and UNFPA
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has contributed nearly a million Euros to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, to help organize the Solomon Islands’ first population and housing census in ten years. The census will provide accurate and up-to-date information, which is essential for development assistance. The funds will also help measure development progress in the coming years. “It is very encouraging to see the European Union support this vital national exercise”, said Dr Annette Sachs Robertson, Director of UNFPA’s Pacific Subregional Office. “Accurate population data is crucial for the Solomon Islands and all development partners. For this reason this census is utilizing new technologies and approaches. For example Global Positioning Systems, data scanning facilities and pre-census communication for generating awareness and support are being used for the first time in the Pacific.” more24 October 2009
Mobilizing women key to democracy, UNFPA says
STOCKHOLM – Mobilizing women is essential to democracy and good governance, according to Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, the UN Population Fund. “To mobilize especially women at the grass root level is the real challenge if you want a lasting democracy, otherwise it’s a simulation of what could be good governance or a good democratic process,” she told in a key plenary session on democracy and development at the 4th edition of the European Development Days, which took place in Stockholm from 22 to 24 October 2009. UNFPA took part in a range of discussions on development issues, which included plenaries and round-table discussions on democracy, climate change, security and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). more20 October 2009
Nine in ten Europeans support development aid despite economic crisis
BRUSSELS – The economic crisis has not affected European public support for development aid, according to a new report. The survey also shows that overall awareness and knowledge of the MDGs is greater in countries where a higher share of the national budget goes to development assistance. The Special Eurobarometer study, published by the European Commission, shows that 90% of Europeans still believe development is important and 72% support maintaining or increasing aid commitments to poor countries. Moreover, 61% of European citizens think that Europe can positively contribute to the global debate on development. more15 October 2009
EC-ACP workshop highlights benefits of investing in SRH
BRUSSELS – Delegates to a major international workshop on sexual and reproductive health have concluded that "no social investment costs so little and brings benefits that are as far-reaching as investments in the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and young people." The International Workshop on Poverty Eradication and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights took place in Brussels from 14-15 October 2009 with some 150 representatives from governments, European institutions, civil society, UN agencies and donor governments. more12 October 2009
Sweden speeds up efforts to reach MDG5
STOCKHOLM – Sweden has accelerated global efforts to reach MDG5 with a new initiative for maternal health and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The initiative includes an additional investment of SEK 100 million (EUR 9,7 million) for 2009-2010 to support a range of reproductive health activities, such as training midwives and advocating for prioritizing maternal health in developing countries. MDG5, one of the eight Millennium Development Goals known as MDGs, aims to radically improve maternal health by 2015. The two targets of MDG 5 are to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters and achieve universal access to reproductive health by the year 2015. more10 September 2009
UNFPA sponsors TVE Film on Reproductive Health in DRC
GENEVA - A documentary film on reproductive health in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a story about its making were broadcast on BBC World on 8 September. Grace Under Fire, produced by TVE and supported by UNFPA, follows Grace Kodindo, an obstetrician gynaecologist, on a mission through North Kivu where she investigates reproductive health issues in the war-ravaged region. She meets women who have suffered from the brutal and sexual violence that has plagued the area and visits health facilities to find out what reproductive health services are available. more04 September 2009
NGO meeting recommits to women’s health and rights
BERLIN — More than 400 delegates from 131 countries have reaffirmed their support for women’s health and rights at a conference convened here from 2-4 September 2009. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, opened the meeting with a ten-point Berlin Clarion Call: The Spirit of Cairo Lives On calling for new investment and political commitment on behalf of women and girls worldwide. “We call for special protection for the poorest and weakest, particularly in these times of economic and financial crisis,” she said. “The economic stimulus programmes being implemented by donor countries should therefore allocate one per cent of the funding to development policy measures.” more26 August 2009
UNFPA’s 2008 achievements highlighted in latest Annual Report
NEW YORK – According to UNFPA’s latest Annual Report, the organization's projects and technical assistance helped countries move significantly closer to their development goals. Achievements highlighted by the Annual Report 2008 include the launch of a Maternal Health Trust Fund, which is helping improve the health of mothers and newborns in 11 countries; the provision of medical and family-planning supplies to 50 countries in humanitarian crises; and the building of national capacities to carry out censuses in 2010 to generate data needed for the development of policies and strategies to tackle poverty and create opportunities for vulnerable groups. more17 August 2009
New directors appointed to UNFPA Geneva and Nordic Offices
COPENHAGEN, GENEVA - Alanna Armitage in Geneva and Pernille Fenger in Copenhagen have been appointed to head two of the three UNFPA offices in Europe. The third office, Brussels, has been headed by Ms Sietske Steneker of the Netherlands since October 2007. Ms Fenger, a Danish national, was appointed to head the UNFPA Nordic Office on 1 June. She joins UNFPA with wide experience from the Government and NGO sectors as well as the UN. Ms Armitage, a Canadian citizen, joined the Geneva office a month later, on 1 July. She brings with her extensive UNFPA experience, having joined the organization nearly 20 years ago. more10 August 2009
Music and condoms help raise awareness on SRH
SKANDERBORG, Denmark – For the second year in a row UNFPA’s Nordic Office participated actively in the Skanderborg music festival in Denmark. Trained volunteers distributed condoms and raised awareness of UNFPA’s work around the world on sexual and reproructive health (SRH). UNFPA collaborated with the Danish family planning association, Sex & Samfund, to set up a common stand – a ‘condom booth’ – in the main festival area. During the festivities, a constant stream of visitors engaged in games and quizzes to win condoms. more07 August 2009
UNFPA discusses MDG3 at model UN session
GENEVA - Alanna Armitage, the new Director of the UNFPA Office in Geneva, spoke to an audience of engaged and committed young students as part of the Model Global UN, which took place in Geneva on 5-7 August 2009. Students listened as representatives of a number of United Nations agencies - FAO, UNDP, UNEP, UNICEF and WHO, in addition to UNFPA - explained the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). more06 July 2009
Advocates rally world support to end fistula
UNITED NATIONS, Geneva — Fistula survivor, Sarah Omega Kidangasi, and singer, actress and Virgin Unite ambassador, Natalie Imbruglia, today addressed the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations to call attention to maternal health and obstetric fistula, a devastating injury of childbearing that leaves women with agonizing pain, chronic incontinence and – in most cases – a stillborn baby. The 400 attending ministers of health, ministers of foreign affairs and ambassadors at the ECOSOC High-Level Segment were confronted with the grim facts that every minute a woman dies needlessly in pregnancy or childbirth, and for every woman who dies, 20-30 women suffer a serious birth injury, of which one of the more devastating is obstetric fistula. more24 June 2009
Goodwill Ambassador Catarina Furtado finds progress on maternal health during her visit to Guinea-Bissau
GABU, Guinea-Bissau — A year ago, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Catarina Furtado laid the first brick for the construction of a maternity surgical unit in this dusty town in eastern Guinea-Bissau. This month, she attended the inauguration for the unit that her efforts had helped establish at the Gabú Regional Hospital. Opening of the surgical unit is part of a larger project to support emergency obstetric care in the areas of Oio and Gabú, with the financial support of UNFPA, the Government of Portugal and the Radio Portuguese Television. more17 June 2009
UNFPA applauds the adoption of a landmark resolution on maternal health
GENEVA - The Human Rights Council today adopted the resolution on ‘Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights’. With this resolution, over 70 UN Member States acknowledge that the issue of maternal health must be recognized as a human right challenge and that efforts to curb the unacceptably high global rates of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity must be urgently intensified and broadened. “I applaud this resolution as another step toward galvanizing the political will to reduce maternal death, said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya A. Obaid. “Too many women are denied their most fundamental human rights.” more05 June 2009
United to combat climate change
COPENHAGEN – UNFPA Nordic Office joined forces with other UN agencies and the European Environment Agency to screen world-renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s film ‘HOME’ on World Environment Day, 5 June.
Using Arthus-Bertrand’s trademark aerial footage, the film – shot in more than 50 countries – makes an urgent appeal for the planet, arguing that in ten years it will be too late to reverse its degradation.
more
03 June 2009
The toll of maternal death remains high but is gaining attention
New York — Every minute, a woman dies in the developing world as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. For years, the tragic deaths of 500,000 mothers each year has been more or less invisible. The dead women are typically buried with little fanfare; their families, usually impoverished, are left to cope with their loss as best they can. Progress in reducing these deaths has been halting. Nevertheless, the issue is gaining ground in terms of political commitments and media attention. For instance, in a speech to the World Health Assembly last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named maternal mortality "a key barometer of a functioning health system.” more04 May 2009
The Art of Saving a Mother
COPENHAGEN – Renowned Danish artists and musicians have donated their work to help put the focus on maternal health under a campaign entitled ‘The Art of Saving a Mother’. Unique artwork, music performances by Caroline Henderson and Ida Corr and a film screening of the BBC documentary, ‘Dead Mums Don’t Cry’ attracted a full house at the National Art Museum in Copenhagen, including HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. The film was preceded by discussion around maternal health by the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs, the Chair of the Danish All-Party Group Kirsten Brosbøl, and the film’s star, Dr. Grace Kodindo. more21 April 2009
German Parliamentary Forum on SRHR celebrates fifth anniversary
BERLIN – To celebrate its fifth anniversary the German Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights has hosted high-level discussions on the EU’s role in advancing women’s rights and the ICPD agenda.
This anniversary coincides with the 15th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and with elections both in Germany and at the European Parliament.
Guests at the anniversary event included representatives of the current and next EU presidency. Hana Harlova, Counsellor on Economic Affairs at the Czech Embassy in Berlin, and H.E. Ambassador Ruth Jacoby of Sweden were special guests.
more
01 April 2009
EPF delegation calls for revitalization of MDGs
NEW YORK - A six-member delegation of Parliamentarians representing the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) has called on the international community to recommit to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and revitalize the Cairo Programme of Action. “We believe that the promotion of women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality is absolutely fundamental to the fight against global poverty,” said EPF delegation spokesperson, Hon. Lyn Brown of the UK. The British Member of Parliament was speaking at the 42nd session of the UN Commission on Population and Development on 1 April. more26 March 2009
UNFPA takes part in Swiss career day
LAUSANNE – Each year, the Swiss government organizes an international career day to help graduate students or young professionals expand their job prospects, especially with international organizations.
UNFPA traditionally participates in this day-long fair, along with many other United Nations organizations, and this year was no different.
“The fair was open to all employers including hotels, financial firms, banks, and others but the area reserved for international organizations was certainly the most crowded, which indicated serious interest in working overseas,” said Maha Muna, Humanitarian Specialist in UNFPA’s Geneva Office, who represented the Fund at the student fair. “This is maybe due in part to the fact that many students were originally from overseas, and now studying in
Switzerland . Another reason might be because of their genuine interest in issues related to development and humanitarian response.”
more
24 March 2009
UNFPA discusses culture, gender and human rights with Flemish UN Association
Brussels - UNFPA presented its State of the World Population 2008 report “Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights” to members of the United Nations Association Flanders Belgium (Vereniging voor de Verenigde Naties, VVN). The presentation by Sietske Steneker, Director of UNFPA Brussels Office, and Ivan Hermans, Senior External Relations and Policy Advisor, was part of VVN’s programme of lunchtime conferences on UN themes, and was followed by a lively discussion with UNA members on the issues addressed in the report, such as the potential of change through religions, the danger of cultural relativism and the relation between human rights and population issues. A detailed report on the meeting will be published shortly in the VVN monthly newsletter “Wereldbeeld”. more24 March 2009
Climate and people conference looks at population, reproductive health
OSLO – More than 60 Members of Parliament from Europe and Asia met with experts and advocates over two days to discuss the links between population dynamics and climate change, and what to do about them.
Presentations highlighted the complexity of the links between population and climate, which included geography, income, gender, family size and structure and access to information and resources, among many other factors.
“We need to get to a point where can talk about both consumption and population,” said Leyla Alyanak, UNFPA Geneva Office. “Fewer people on the planet won’t necessarily mean fewer emissions. While size does matter, so do where people live – in urban or rural areas, the size of their families, and their age. An ageing population may help reduce carbon emissions, but a younger one will have the opposite effect.”
more
24 March 2009
UNFPA takes part in humanitarian workshops
COPENHAGEN – A one-day university seminar held in Copenhagen recently examined the role of HIV/AIDS in conflicts and emergency situations. The seminar belonged to a larger course on humanitarian interventions in emergencies, as part of the university’s Master of International Health program. “The humanitarian community recognizes a number of priority interventions to prevent HIV transmission in emergencies,” said Wilma Doedens, Technical Adviser on Reproductive Health in Emergencies, based in UNFPA’s Geneva office. “These include making free condoms available to people who want to use them, making sure that all medical staff have enough clean needles and syringes to give safe injections, and that hospitals have HIV tests to screen blood that is donated to critically ill patients.” more18 March 2009
First European journalism awards on population and development presented in Berlin
BERLIN – An international jury has awarded three European prizes for reporting excellence on sexual and reproductive health. The European awards are a first, while German prizes for population and development journalism were awarded for the second time. Sietske Steneker, Director of the UNFPA Brussels Office, took part in a panel on population and development in the context of climate change during the ceremony, which took place at the Representation of the European Commission in Berlin. “We know what needs to be done to bring down maternal mortality, and we have a plan: the ICPD Programme of Action”, said Ms Steneker. “What we need now, in this challenging time, is leaders’ commitment to make it happen." more13 March 2009
83 Nations Call for Maternal Health to Be Recognized as a Human Right
GENEVA - In a joint statement delivered to the Human Rights Council, 83 countries reaffirmed their commitment to addressing maternal mortality as a human rights issue. They called on the Council to take action to address the unacceptably high number of women of women who die every year from reasons associated with childbirth and pregnancy. The signatories range from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where women have a 1 in 22 lifetime risk of maternal death, to Switzerland, where the risk of maternal death is about 1 in 14,000. The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States and is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. more13 March 2009
Swedish assessment praises UNFPA’s transparency, finances
A Swedish assessment of multilateral organizations says UNFPA’s transparency, and the routines for audit and procurement are good and that Executive Director Thoraya Obaid enjoys a great deal of confidence among donors.
It also called UNFPA a relevant and effective partner in MDGs related to gender equality and the promotion of human rights.
According to the assessment, UNFPA plays an important role in “some the MDGs that are the most difficult to achieve”. These include goals on greater gender equality, reduced infant mortality, reduced maternal mortality and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
more
10 March 2009
Cairo+ group organizes ICPD/15 update
BERN – The Swiss-based Cairo+ group of Parliamentarians, set up in 1999 to promote the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), organized an all-party meeting to discuss ongoing plans for ICPD/15, the fifteenth anniversary of the 1994 event. In a presentation, Leyla Alyanak of the UNFPA Geneva Office highlighted the many events being supported by UNFPA throughout the year and highlighted the links between the ICPD and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). more05 March 2009
UNFPA launches new European website
Welcome to our new European website! UNFPA has restructured the site to provide you with more information about our activities, better, and faster, but without eliminating any of the features you have come to expect from us. The new site continues to feature our own and our partners' activities, with a special focus on Europe. Our regular news dispatches will feature prominently, and you’ll find it easy to get in touch with us through updated contact information for our European liaison offices, a calendar of events, links to our partners' websites, information about employment, some of our latest publications and much more. more09 February 2009
Advancing global health under the G8 Italian presidency
Government representatives, development and health experts held a one-day international conference to discuss the upcoming G8 meeting – scheduled in Italy on 9-10 July 2009 – and undertake a critical analysis of progress and challenges in development assistance. The conference aimed to look at Italy’s G8 leadership readiness on international commitments on aid effectiveness and financing for development. More specifically it focused on advancing the three Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on health: 4, Reduce child mortality; 5, Improve maternal health; and 6, Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Participants hoped the conference would encourage Italy to maintain its commitments to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), especially in times of financial crisis. more01 February 2009
Spanish development officials and parliamentarians end successful tour in Senegal
DAKAR, Senegal – A one-week study tour by Spanish officials has concluded with an improved understanding of reproductive health issues and a better grasp of problems faced by Senegal. The tour, organized by the UNFPA Senegal Country Office in collaboration with the Geneva Office and the NGO Spanish Interest Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health (SIG), took a group of participants to visit reproductive-health related projects across the country for a week.more
29 January 2009
UNFPA and Media21 convene Swiss journalists on human rights and gender
BERN - A dozen Swiss journalists met under the auspices of UNFPA and Media 21, a Geneva-based journalism network, to discuss whether Switzerland was meeting its human rights obligations. “At its Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council, Switzerland didn’t only get good grades,” said Fabrice Boule of Media21. “Many countries pointed out the absence of a national human rights body, so we will have to see some movement on this front." UNFPA had been asked particularly to focus on women and reproductive rights. more21 January 2009
UNFPA supported Georgian project receives European award
The Georgian National Screening Center has received an award from the Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer for its Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Programme. The programme was started by the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) to raise awareness on cervical cancer and its prevention. The award was announced at the European Parliament’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Summit Meeting, held as part of the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (18-24 January 2009). more10 December 2008
Finnish campaign raised domestic violence as a national topic
Helsinki -- Family Federation of Finland has ended its yearlong campaign against domestic violence. The campaign was targeted at young couples and men because studies have shown that in Finland young women are most often the victims of domestic violence. more05 December 2008
Norway focuses on UNFPA’s mandate, promises to increase ODA to 1 per cent
Oslo -- Norway has announced that the country will increase its Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the first time to 1per cent of Gross National Income (GNI). The country has also updated its Africa policy, identifying women and gender equality as one of the five main priorities. In its “Platform for an integrated Africa policy” Norway further promises “to take special responsibility for the health-related MDGs, particularly MDG 4 on reducing child mortality and MDG 5 on improving maternal health.” more04 December 2008
First joint UN/EC Migration for Development Fair takes place
Brussels – The first Migration for Development Knowledge Fair has welcomed hundreds of members of diaspora groups as well as representatives of NGOs, local authorities from developing and European countries, EU institutions and UN agencies. The Fair is the first major event held under the European Commission-United Nations Joint Initiative on Migration and Development (JMDI), a new, €15 million three-year effort funded by the EC. The JMDI will finance migration and development projects conceived and implemented by civil society groups and local authorities from EU Member States. These groups in turn will partner with counterparts in 16 non-EU countries – Algeria, Cape Verde, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Jamaica, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia, Senegal and Sri Lanka. A Call for Proposals launched at the Knowledge Fair will identify the projects. more01 December 2008
Nordic FPAs call for further action against HIV on World Aids Day
Stockholm, Helsinki - Family planning associations in Sweden and Finland have called for better prevention of new HIV infections and support to people living with HIV/AIDS. The Secretary-General of Swedish RFSU, Ms. Åsa Regnér, said in her statement that while more donor support for HIV treatment is important, resources for HIV prevention should not be reduced because of economic, ideological or religious reasons. more25 November 2008
Swiss Hold Round Table on Gender In Crises
BERN, Switzerland –A round table on gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies was organized to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women today. Erin Kenny and Maha Muna, UNFPA specialists on gender-based violence and humanitarian response, moderated a lively debate ranging on a number of issues. These included an increased global awareness and high-level commitment to fighting gender-based violence, as evidenced by Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820. more25 November 2008
Commemorations to Raise Awareness about Violence against Women
Brussels -- On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UNFPA partnered with the UN Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) and UNIFEM to host a screening of three episodes of the acclaimed documentary series Women on the Frontline. The documentaries portrayed various aspects of violence against women through stories from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania and Austria. more12 November 2008
Princess Astrid of Belgium Visits Training on Gender-based Violence
Gent, Belgium -- Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium has honoured the International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) by visiting its training course, co-organized with UNFPA, on gender-based violence in humanitarian settings. The visit aimed to recognize ICRH for its activities in the field of sexual violence. ICRH received the King Boudewijn Foundation’s 2008 De Beys Award for medical research with a social impact in crisis situations. more12 November 2008
UNFPA Flagship Report 2008 Launched Throughout Europe
London – Sixteen European cities have launched The State of World Population 2008: Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights , with launches also taking place in more than 100 countries around the world. The report, which coincides with the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, calls for culturally sensitive approaches to development to promote human rights in general and women’s rights in particular. more24 October 2008
PUSH Appeal Handed Over to Finnish Minister for Development
Helsinki– Nearly 10,000 people have signed the ‘Push Appeal’ calling on Finnish leaders to ensure maternal health gets the attention, political backing and resources it urgently needs.The signatures were handed over to the Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Mr. Paavo Värynen by the Push Team consisting of Mr. Asger Ryhl, Chief UNFPA’s Nordic Office, Ms. Helena Hilla, Director of the Family Federation of Finland and Ms. Hellevi Hatunen, Chief of International Affairs on Friday 24 October. The appeal is part of the “Push for Change” viral campaign. more
16 October 2008
UNFPA Executive Director addresses Population and Sustainable Development Conference in Berlin
BERLIN, Germany – Achieving human rights requires working with a wide range of people and groups, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya A. Obaid told some 300 participants from around the world attending a conference here. “In all cultures, people are critical agents of change. If we are serious about eradicating poverty, promoting the human rights of women, including the right to health, and in particular sexual and reproductive health, then we have to work with this range of agents of change and support cultural change from within,” Ms. Obaid said. more08 October 2008
Faith-Based Organizations from All Continents Create Global Network to Fight Maternal Death, AIDS, Poverty
ISTANBUL, Turkey—More than 75 religious leaders and representatives of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith-based organizations today formed a global interfaith network to strengthen cooperation against the global urgencies of maternal death, AIDS and poverty. The interfaith network was formed in Istanbul at the conclusion of a two-day Global Forum of Faith-based Organizations, convened by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, which has partnerships with over 400 different faith-based organizations in more than 100 countries. more03 October 2008
EuroNGOs Elect Executive, Discuss Environment and Population
LYON, France – A three-day meeting of the EuroNGOs, the network of European NGOs for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population and Development, has ended with the election of a new executive and an improved understanding of the links between population and environment. The meeting, hosted by the French NGO, Equilibres & Populations (E&P), combined the group’s annual general meeting, a strategy session on ICPD +15, and a conference entitled “The Interface between Population, Environment and Poverty Alleviation: Possibilities and Challenges for SRHR Advocacy against the Background of ICPD and the MDGs”. more02 October 2008
Donor Support for Contraceptives Stagnates Despite Rising Global Demand
UNITED NATIONS, New York—Donor contributions for contraceptives and condoms for HIV prevention amounted to $223 million in 2007—a mere 5 per cent increase over the 2006 total of $212 million, according to a new analysis by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. This is despite a growing unmet need for such supplies, as more couples use modern methods of contraception and world population continues to increase. more29 September 2008
Edgy New Advocacy Video on YouTube
Helsinki – A heavily pregnant woman jumping from a 15- meter high spring board? Surely not!Yet this is the story line of a new advocacy video for the Finnish PushForChange Campaign. The video, launched on YouTube last week, aims to spread the message that no woman should die giving life. more
26 September 2008
Danish Minister Launches MDG Report
Copenhagen – The Danish Development Minister, Ms. Ulla Tørnæs, along with Copenhagen-based UN agencies, released the Secretary-General’s progress report on the MDGs at a UN press briefing here. According to the report, the world has made strong and sustained progress in reducing extreme poverty, but this is now being undercut by higher prices – particularly of food and oil – and by the global economic slowdown. Ms. Tørnæs underscored the importance of meeting MDG3 on gender equality. She pointed out that of the 11 areas needing the greatest effort, four directly concerned women and girls. more25 September 2008
Joint Statement on Maternal and Newborn Health
Today, 25 September 2008, as world leaders gather for the High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we jointly pledge to intensify our support to countries to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 “To Improve Maternal Health” – the MDG showing the least progress. In the countdown to 2015, we call on Member States to accelerate efforts for achieving reproductive, maternal and newborn health. Together we can achieve Millennium Developments Goals 4 and 5. more20 August 2008
Celebrities Support UNFPA at Danish Music Festival
SKANDERBORG. Denmark --- Several Danish and international bands and artists helped UNFPA bring attention to the millions of women and men in developing countries who lack access to information and contraceptives at Skanderborg Festival, an outdoor music extravaganza.By distributing free, UNFPA-branded condoms during their performances, artists and bands such as Carpark North, Ida Corr and Cinema Bizarre created visibility for UNFPA among the more than 40,000 festival guests. more
16 May 2008
UNFPA Executive Director Calls for Action on Maternal Health MDG
Stockholm – UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya A. Obaid has called for a “special push” across all sectors in an effort to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 to improve maternal health. Each year, more than half a million women still die due to pregnancy and childbirth complications. “We need a broad global movement to accelerate efforts and increase investments because at the current pace, MDG 5 is the least likely of all the eight Millennium Development Goals to be met,” she said. more15 May 2008
UNFPA Executive Director Receives 'MDG 3 Champion Torch
COPENHAGEN – UNFPA’s Executive Director Thoraya Obaid today received an ‘MDG 3 Champion Torch’ from the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs. The torch symbolizes Denmark’s commitment to raising gender equality and women’s empowerment (MDG 3) higher on the international agenda so as to accelerate progress toward all of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). more09 May 2008
$3 Million Requested by UNFPA to Help Women and Girls Displaced by Myanmar Cyclone
UNITED NATIONS, New York — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is appealing for $3 million to address the urgent humanitarian concerns of cyclone-affected populations, particularly women and girls, in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady and Yangon regions. The amount is being sought as part of a joint flash appeal to be launched by the United Nations today. Tens of thousands of pregnant women made homeless by the cyclone urgently need lifesaving assistance. UNFPA is working with humanitarian partners to mobilize emergency reproductive health supplies, including safe delivery kits, for those affected. more30 April 2008
European MPs Map Out Future Reproductive Health Agenda
UPPSALA , Sweden – European experts and decision makers have concluded at a three-day conference that more information, better coordination in words and actions and greater transparency are essential to the survival of the continent’s sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights agenda. The conference, entitled ‘Europe on the Brink: Who Will Decide Over Your Body?’, was designed to take stock of the agenda in the face of a changing political climate in Europe. more30 April 2008
UNFPA Strengthens Partnership with UNHCR
GENEVA — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed an agreement here today to strengthen their combined efforts to respond to the sexual and reproductive health needs of populations displaced by crisis. The agreement was signed by UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid and High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres. The memorandum of understanding aims to broaden the cooperation and coordination between the two agencies and reinforce an existing agreement signed between UNFPA and UNHCR in 1995. more24 April 2008
Partnering with Finnish Academia - Journalist Students Report about AIDS and Gender Issues in Zambia
JYVÄSKYLÄ , Finland — Selected journalist students from the University of Jyväskylä took part in a study tour on AIDS in Zambia, where more than one in six adults is infected with HIV. In 2005 almost 100,000 people died of AIDS in that country, and life expectancy has fallen below 40 years.This was many students’ first experience in Africa, and they were excited about working in a new and challenging environment. One of the students, Johannes Kotkavirta, visited development projects in Zambia ’s Eastern Province. (You can read his complete travel report here). more
23 April 2008
UNFPA and Family Federation of Finland Launch New Advocacy Campaign
HELSINKI — 'PUSH! for change'is the message of a unique internet-based advocacy campaign on maternal health launched at the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki this week. The 'PUSH! for change' campaign is a joint UNFPA and Family Federation of Finland (FFF) initiative to raise awareness in Finland about maternal health in developing countries. It also encourages people to take action and push for more awareness, political backing and investment needed to improve maternal health. more18 April 2008
Humanitarian Liaison Working Group Highlights Gender-based Violence
GENEVA — The Humanitarian Liaison Working Group (HLWG), a multi-stakeholder forum for discussion on operational issues and coordination in humanitarian settings, focused on gender-based violence at its most recent meeting here today. Under the chairmanship of HE Ambassador Fujisaki of Japan, the group discussed the links between gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict, concluding that GBV is pervasive and that in conflict situations, its most common manifestations are exacerbated. more17 April 2008
Danish Government Scales Up Global Support for MDG3
COPENHAGEN – A high-level conference on women’s economic empowerment has concluded concrete commitments and action are needed to accelerate the implementation of Millennium Development Goal 3 (promote gender equality and women’s empowerment). “We need to invest more in gender equality,” said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister. “The developing countries must use the resources needed to achieve this goal. But we need to increase the development assistance targeted at women.” more17 April 2008
New Film Series Takes on Culture of Silence on Violence Against Women
UNITED NATIONS, Geneva — This is an unfortunate anniversary. Fourteen years ago, in April 1994, news got out that ethnic violence in Kigali was spreading throughout Rwanda. Since then, the world community has struggled to explain how the genocide of 800,000 people happened in full view, but less discussed is the ongoing impact of the rape and other forms of sexual violence committed against hundreds of thousands of women. Violence against women is the theme of Women on the Frontline , a series of seven films being broadcast for the first time tomorrow night by BBC World at 1930 GMT to about 300 million households to help peel away the silence surrounding the brutality of gender-based violence that crosses all borders. more22 March 2008
Norwegian PM Launches Ambitious Maternal and Child Health Plan in Tanzania
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg and Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania, together launched the National Road Map Strategic Plan to Accelerate Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Deaths in Tanzania 2008-2015. The road map should reduce deaths by improving coordination among different stakeholders, aligning resources, and standardizing monitoring to ensure delivery of quality services from pregnancy, through childbirth and childhood to the age of five. UNFPA is supporting the initiative as the managing agent for the UN joint programme for maternal and newborn mortality reduction, under government leadership. more18 March 2008
Culture Sessions Demonstrate Growing Swiss Commitment to Issue
BERN — UNFPA’s work on culture was the highlight of two back-to-back meetings in the Swiss capital. Strong support from Switzerland for UNFPA’s pioneering work in the area of culture is underscored by its recent funding of a series of case studies and its continuing interest in the issue. A morning meeting updated the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) on UNFPA’s work in the area of culture, while the afternoon meeting was organized by Cairo+, a group of Swiss Parliamentarians dedicated to the follow-up and implementation of the ICPD. more17 March 2008
Panel Discusses Women’s Vulnerability in Darfur
GENEVA — Women and girls in Darfur remain very vulnerable to violence.“Women are vulnerable to attack everywhere, both inside and outside refugee camps,” said Halima Yagoub Mohammed, who works on gender-based violence in North Darfur for UNFPA. “Outside the camps, they feel insecure when they go out to collect wood or fodder.” Increasingly, women have to travel further to search for wood to use as fuel and to sell for income for their families. Greater travel distances make them highly vulnerable to attack, especially since they tend to forage on their own to find for scarce resources. more
17 March 2008
Faith-Based Organizations Play an Integral Role in Development
GENEVA — A meeting of NGOs, academics and religious leaders in Geneva has highlighted the growing attention to the cultural dimensions of population, gender and development issues. The meeting, entitled Culture: A Missing Link in Development Practice, brought together NGOs, academics and religious experts to examine the importance of working with faith-based organizations (FBO) in development practice and programming. more13 March 2008
Finnish Ambassador and Government Representatives Take Part in ‘Stop Early Marriage’ Study Tour to Ethiopia
Addis Ababa - In March, the Finnish Ambassador to Ethiopia and representatives from the Finnish government participated in a ‘Stop Early Marriage’ Study Tour to Ethiopia organized by UNFPA. Ethiopia, nestled in the Horn of Africa, has one of the highest rates of early marriage in the continent. Despite the official age of marriage being 18, and laws against child marriage, impoverished parents in the rural areas of Ethiopia still believe that marriage will protect their daughters. In fact, however, it often results in lost development opportunities, limited life options and poor health of the young girls. more13 March 2008
First German Prize for Population Journalism Awarded
BERLIN — The first-ever German prize for excellence in population journalism has been awarded to three journalists writing on themes as diverse as national population policies and AIDS orphans. The prizes, worth €2,500, €1,500 and €1,000 were awarded by the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) at the KfW Development Bank in Berlin to journalists Marc Engelhardt, Harro Albrecht and Charlotte Wiedemann. more06 March 2008
UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Joins Women World Leaders to Strategize on Women and Security
BRUSSELS – A high-level women’s conference in Brussels has calledfor renewed vigor in implementinginternationally agreed human rights standards and instruments. Conference participants reiterated that “women’s security is human security.” They also committed themselves to ensuring that women are actively engaged in local, national and international decision-making and called upon leaders everywhere, male and female, to do the same. more06 March 2008
UK’s Prime Minister’s Wife Pledges Her Support to Reduce Maternal Deaths
LONDON – Ms. Sarah Brown, wife of the UK Prime Minister, has lent her support to the Millennium Development Goal target of reducing maternal mortality by 2015. Speaking at a one-day conference on 6 March organized by Women and Children First, a British NGO, Sarah Brown said: "What always surprises me is how few people are aware of the scale of the maternity mortality around the world. more15 February 2008
Joint Campaign Launched at Global Forum on Human Trafficking
VIENNA – UNFPA joined policymakers and celebrities in calling for action against human trafficking, during the first-ever global forum to fight this crime (13-15 February). Bringing together 1,200 experts, legislators, law enforcement teams, business leaders, NGO representatives and trafficking victims from 116 countries, the forum provided a platform for a new campaign of coordinated action to tackle the crime. more14 February 2008
UNFPA Scales Up Efforts to Save Millions of Women
UNITED NATIONS, New York— A new thematic fund for maternal health has been created to boost global efforts to reduce the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth. The fund, established by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will also encourage developed countries and private sponsors to contribute more to saving women’s lives. Every minute a woman dies due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth, adding up to half a million women dying every year. Another 10-15 million women suffer serious or long-lasting illnesses or disabilities. more11 February 2008
European Parliamentarians Learn about Sexual and Reproductive Health in Niger
BRUSSELS – The European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) and Equilibres & Populations (E&P) jointly organized a week-long study tour (5-11 February) for six Members of the European Parliament to Niger. The tour focused on reproductive health and rights, commodities and supplies and population growth. more10 February 2008
Swedish Groups to Host Conference on Reproductive Health and Rights
Stockholm – Swedish parliamentarians will co-host a conference on Reproductive Health and Women’s Rights from 28-30 April 2008 in Stockholm. The conference will take stock of public health policies and attitudes towards reproductive health and women’s rights in Europe with a focus on new EU member states. Hosts of the conference include Swedish All-Party Parliamentary Group, European Parliamentary Forum (EPF), and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU). more06 February 2008
Ireland Donates € 3 million to UNFPA Thematic Trust Funds
DUBLIN – Ireland is proud to be one of the first countries to contribute to the new UNFPA trust fund for maternal health, said Mr.
Michael Kitt, T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development, as he announced Irish Aid funding of € 3 million to programmes targeting maternal mortality and reproductive health in developing countries.
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18 January 2008
Nordic Parliamentarians Visit UNFPA in Nicaragua on Joint UNDG Study Tour
COPENHAGEN – Parliamentarians from four Nordic countries have concluded a study tour to Nicaragua to observe the UN reform process at work and the impact of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on development work. The eight-member Nordic delegation met with President Daniel Ortega state officials and local parliamentarians as part of a joint UN tour organized by UNFPA, UNDP, WFP and UNICEF. Increasingly, UN agencies are coordinating their work, including field visits, under what is known as ‘Delivering as One’. more14 January 2008
European Donors Help UNFPA Set Another Fund-Raising Record
New York— Once again, European donor countries and the European Commission have helped ensure another banner year for UNFPA in terms of financial support from the international community. A total of 181 United Nations Member States contributed $419 million to UNFPA’s regular resources – representing the highest number of donor nations and the largest amount of contributions to the Fund since it began operations in 1969. Eight of the top ten donor countries in 2007 were European nations: the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Finland and Spain. more10 December 2007
UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health speaks at the European Commission
Brussels – The Special Rapporteur’s work on the right to sexual and reproductive health was presented to the European Commission in commemoration of International Human Rights Day. The presentation, by Ms. Gunilla Backman, Senior Research Officer to UN Special Rapporteur on behalf of Mr. Paul Hunt, highlighted the role of a human rights approach to health in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. more10 December 2007
UN Launches One-Year Campaign on 60th Anniversary of Human Rights Declaration
GENEVA – A year-long campaign launched on 10 December (International Human Rights Day) to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has called on decision leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the Declaration’s values and principles whenever they can. “I hope that today is really the beginning of a year that will have a lot of echoes where the human rights agenda of the United Nations will be very broadly discussed, endorsed, and more importantly, I hope, implemented,” said Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at a press conference to launch the campaign. more28 November 2007
Europeans of the Year Award Donates €32,000 to UNFPA
BRUSSELS – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, has been named the beneficiary of the 2007 ‘Europeans of the Year’ awards gala held at the Palais d'Egmont Tuesday 27 November. Financial proceeds from the gala, totaling €32,000, will support the UNFPA-led Campaign to End Fistula. The awards, known as EV50, are conferred annually by European Voice, the European Union affairs newspaper, to ten individuals who have influenced the European agenda over the past 12 months. Winners were selected from among 50 nominees by European Voice editors and a distinguished panel of leading opinion makers and thinkers. more26 November 2007
Swiss Launch Campaign Against Forced Marriage
LAUSANNE – A month-long campaign designed to raise awareness about early and forced marriage has been launched in Lausanne on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November). The campaign will inform French-speaking Swiss about the effects of early and forced marriage on the lives of women. more30 October 2007
Germany Pledges $1.95 Million for Maternal Health in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH , Cambodia — The German government has pledged 1.35 million EUR (1.95 million USD) to UNFPA to help reduce maternal mortality in Cambodia. The grant will be channelled through UNFPA to the Cambodian Ministry of Health, which will work to improve maternal health in Cambodia. more08 October 2007
European Development Assistance for Family Planning Falls Short
BRUSSELS — A new study reveals that Europe’s development assistance for family planning has been falling even though the youth population has increased. “Despite the largest youth population ever entering child-bearing years, European aid for family planning has been falling from 30 per cent to 9 per cent between 2001 and 2004, leaving millions of people suffering unnecessarily from maternal and infant deaths, unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions,” concludes the study ‘Euromapping’, which was released today. more07 October 2007
Gender Film in Film Festival Finals
GENEVA – ‘Gender Bender’, a film promoting the UNFPA India campaign against pre-natal sex selection and women’s empowerment, was selected for competition at the recent International North-South Film Festival. The film, directed by Indian filmaker Poojita Chowdhury, looks at women’s empowerment in India through the eyes of women who have found unusual jobs as locomotive or heavy equipment drivers, handpump mechanics, barbers and other non-conventional positions. more01 October 2007
UNFPA Named as Beneficiary of Europeans of the Year Award
BRUSSELS – UNFPA has been named the beneficiary of funds raised in connection with the prestigious ‘Europeans of the Year’ award for 2007.The ‘Europeans of the Year’ award, called EV50 for short, is conferred annually by the EU affairs newspaper European Voice. There’s still time to cast your vote for outstanding leadership in ten categories, including journalism, business and statesmanship. The list of the EV50 nominees for 2007 includes personalities such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and entrepreneur and philanthropist Richard Branson. more
27 September 2007
South Caucasus Youth Festival focus on Healthy Lifestyle for Young People
BATUMI , Georgia – Young people in the southern Caucacus have organized a three-day festival to promote a healthy lifestyle among their peers, change their attitudes and behaviours towards harmful practices and raise their awareness about their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, government officials, media representatives, business representatives, officials from UNFPA and EC, famous musicians and guests from BSEC countries took part in the 2nd South Caucasus Youth Festival, CAUCASUS HEALTHY WAVE 12-14 September in Batumi, by the Black Sea. more27 September 2007
RHIYA Achievements Points to the ‘Way Forward’ for Adolescent Programming in Asia
BRUSSELS --- On the occasion of the conclusion of the EC/UNFPA Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA), parliamentarians, civil society representatives and officials from seven Asian countries and the EU will gather in Brussels for the high-level conference ‘Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: The Way Forward For Asia’. At the conference, which takes place in Brussels on 28 September, a range of stakeholders will discuss achievements made in improving young people’s sexual and reproductive health in seven South and South East Asian countries, and identify strategies for future efforts and programmes in the region. more20 September 2007
In Many Countries Son Preference is Alive and Well, While Girls Go Missing
GENEVA – Despite many efforts to change hearts and minds, the practice of choosing boys over girls before or right after birth continues in a number of countries. Son preference has been associated mostly with China and India, yet there is a growing recognition that it is a more widespread phenomenon and that others practice sex selection as well, by choosing to terminate the birth of or abandon girl children. However, it is particularly difficult to obtain data to fully analyze the situation. more19 September 2007
Chasing the Dream on Show in Berlin
BERLIN — The German hit band Culcha Candela and MTV presenter Caro Korneli were bearers of an unlikely youth message to young fans last week: support the United Nations’ Millennium Campaign call to Stand Up Against Poverty in October 2007 and take action to achieve the MDGs.They made their call at a news conference at the international music fair and festival 'Popkomm 2007', where they opened Die Welt der Jugend im Licht der Acht Entwicklungsziele, the German version of the photo exhibition Chasing the Dream .
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18 September 2007
European Youth Leaders Discuss Sexual and Reproductive Health Challenges
LISBON – More than 150 European youth leaders from across the political spectrum ended a two-day meeting on the sexual and reproductive health challenges facing young people. The youth leaders represented Young Decision Makers – Parliamentarians or members of youth sections of political parties under 30. A panel of experts including Judith Bruce of the Population Council, Timothy Shand of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and Siri Tellier of UNFPA presented the group with data, information and recommendations on reproductive health worldwide. Thierry Lucas of the EU/UNFPA Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia guided one of the workshops on practical steps on implementation. more12 September 2007
Anti-Poverty Advocate Jeffrey Sachs Calls MDGs Achievable
COPENHAGEN – “The Millennium Development Goals are achievable, if world leaders live up to their global commitments,” according to Jeffrey Sachs, Director of The Earth Institute and Professor at Columbia University.Dr. Sachs was addressing ministers, key political stakeholders, youth politicians, and selected representatives from civil society and academia at a series of public events across Scandinavia last week. more
05 September 2007
World Health, Development Agencies Welcome International Health Partnership Launched Today in London
NEW YORK/LONDON—Several of the world’s leading development and health agencies have welcomed the International Health Partnership launched today in London as renewed hope of saving millions of lives in developing countries. The Partnership was launched by the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. He was joined by his Norwegian counterpart, Jens Stoltenberg, and leaders from all major health agencies and foundations, including Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. more30 August 2007
Geneva Office Provides Assistance in African Emergencies
GENEVA – When an emergency strikes in Africa, Geneva-based humanitarian staff are on standby to support the management of reproductive health services, which continue to be needed whatever the emergency. Recent missions have included Madagascar and Darfur. In response to a cyclone and floods in February of this year, up to 300,000 people were affected by the disaster in seven of 22 regions of Madagascar. more29 August 2007
New Danish Development Strategy Emphasizes Women's Rights
COPENHAGEN —Women’s rights are once again highlighted as a top priority for the Danish Government. Yesterday, the Strategy for the Danish Development Assistance 2008-2012: A World for All was launched. The strategy outlines how the Danish government will further consolidate and strengthen its prioritization of women’s rights and status by means of a series of bilateral and multilateral initiatives. more08 August 2007
Norway First Contributor to Joint UNFPA/UNICEF Programme Against FGM/C
OSLO — Female genital mutilation is a brutal violation of women’s and children’s fundamental human rights, according to Norway’s Minister of International Development, Erik Solheim. He was speaking at a press conference announcing an increase in funding to fight female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). The NOK 20 million or USD 3.5 million pledge will support a new joint UNFPA and UNICEF programme to help communities and countries eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting. The funds will support advocacy and partnerships with the media, civil society, religious leaders and reproductive health sectors. more30 July 2007
German EU Presidency Advanced Many of UNFPA’s Priority Issues
BRUSSELS – The six-month German Presidency of the European Union (EU) made considerable progress on issues related to the ICPD agenda, according to UNFPA. The presidency, which lasted from 1 January until 30 June 2007, moved several of UNFPA’s priority areas forward, including HIV/AIDS programmes, gender equality, migration and youth. Together with the two upcoming EU presidencies (Portugal and Slovenia), Germany included several areas of concern to UNFPA in an 18-month programme on development cooperation entitled Strengthening the European Union’s Role as a Global Partner for Development. more13 July 2007
HIV Must be Addressed in Humanitarian Response, ECOSOC Panelists Say
GENEVA — The need to better coordinate and address HIV during humanitarian crises is greater than ever, according to speakers at a UN panel entitled ‘Addressing HIV in Humanitarian Action’. “People don’t stop needing HIV prevention or care just because there’s a crisis,” said Sir John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, who took part in the panel discussion. “And a humanitarian crisis is just one additional shock for people already living with HIV.” more11 July 2007
New UN Nordic Survey Reveals Misperceptions about MDGs
COPENHAGEN - Halfway to the 2015 deadline for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a new survey reveals a deep gulf between Nordic citizens’ perception of the developing world and reality.The survey has revealed that the quality of life of the average world citizen is actually better than what Nordic citizens think.According to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 – launched on 2 July in Geneva - 88 per rcent of children in developing countries are enrolled in primary school. However, only 1 per cent of Norwegians and Danes believe that the figure is somewhat close to 80 per cent. more
05 July 2007
World Population Report Generates Wide Interest in Europe
LONDON—The successful launch of the State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, in 18 European cities has demonstrated that interest in urbanization runs high. Across Europe, ministers, parliamentarians, government officials, demographers, private organizations and the media gathered at press conferences and launch seminars to discuss how urbanization can contribute to the fight against poverty. UNFPA was widely acknowledged for bringing up the issue in this year’s report. more02 July 2007
Swiss Parliamentarians Meet to Follow Up on South Africa Study Tour
BERN, Switzerland — Several Swiss parliamentarians who recently returned from a study tour to South Africa met here on 22 June to share their experiences, discuss the tour’s outcomes and identify follow-up activities. In addition to the tour group, the meeting included the KAIRO+ group of parliamentarians (which has constituted itself to support follow-up to the ICPD), Swiss ministries, including the Swiss Development Corporation, and representatives of the South African Embassy, non-governmental organizations, UNFPA and others. more29 June 2007
UNFPA Workshop Commits to Gender Mainstreaming in Early Recovery Phase of Humanitarian Response
GENEVA – Representatives of UN country teams from a dozen crisis-affected countries have agreed on measures to help integrate gender equality into early recovery, the initial phase in the transition between humanitarian relief and development efforts. The workshop is part of the UN reform as it applies to the area of humanitarian response. Nine areas or ‘clusters’ have been identified to be in need of further strengthening, including one on early recovery. Within the early response cluster, UNFPA is responsible for promoting gender equality. more27 June 2007
State of World Population 2007 launched throughout Europe
GENEVA – UNFPA’s flagship report, The State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential Urban Growth launches today in 18 European cities from Helsinki in the north to Lisbon and Rome in the south – as well as in more than 100 countries around the world. This year’s report addresses the challenges and promises of urbanization and calls for pre-emptive action to prepare for the future urban growth. In 2008, for the first time in history, more than half of world population, some 3.3 billion people, will be living in urban areas. By 2030, this number is expected to swell to almost 5 billion more06 June 2007
Investment in Adolescent Reproductive Health is Key to Achieving MDGs
COPENHAGEN – Scaling up efforts to ensure universal access to reproductive health is necessary if we are to reach any of the Millennium Development Goals, said Ms. Kirsten Brosbøl, chairman of the Danish Parliamentary Network on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, at a Danish parliamentary conference recently. The conference, entitled “How universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is a necessity in order to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals”, was opened by the Danish Minister for International Development Cooperation, Ms. Ulla Tørnæs. more04 June 2007
UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Stresses Need for Investment at the G8 Parliamentarians' Conference
Berlin – The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) most closely related to reproductive health cannot be achieved unless greater investments are made in sexual and reproductive health, said Ms. Mari Simonen, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA.She was addressing an audience of more than 40 parliamentarians from G8, African and European countries on the issue of "Making Health a Reality by Meeting the Reproductive Health Supply Needs" during the G8 Parliamentarians' “Conference on the Economic Rewards of Investing in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Health”, which took place in Berlin 30-31 May 2007. more
02 June 2007
Luxembourg and UNFPA sign $1.4 million agreement to make motherhood safer in rural Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan – Luxembourg and UNFPA have signed a cooperation agreement worth US$1.4 million to make motherhood safer for women in remote areas in Afghanistan, where maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world. The project, which will support the government's annual work plan on reproductive health, will put in place a Comprehensive Reproductive Health programme in the provinces of Badakhshan, Daikundi and Faryab. The programme is designed to improve the quality and accessibility of reproductive health services for vulnerable populations, build the capacity of service providers in the provinces, and increase community awareness and involvement in making pregnancy safer. more23 May 2007
Record-Breaking Donation from Portuguese Public
LISBON, Portugal — UNFPA’s Goodwill Ambassador in Portugal, Catarina Furtado, delivered an unprecedented €253,000 (more than $340,000) contribution to UNFPA through its Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, at a ceremony attended by Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and two dozen journalists on 16 May. The donation is the largest ever received by UNFPA from Portugal. “Being a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador is being a spokesperson for all the women and children who cannot speak for themselves and who need urgent help,” Ms. Furtado told the two dozen journalists at the ceremony. more15 May 2007
Investment in Adolescent Reproductive Health is Key to Achieving MDGs
HELSINKI – Asger Ryhl, Chief UNFPA Nordic Office, spoke about the importance of investing in adolescent reproductive health if the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be reached by 2015. His remarks were part of a public seminar: ‘MDG Review: the role and responsibility of parliamentarians in Finland’s and EUs development policy’ hosted by the Finnish Parliamentary All-Party Group on Population and Development together with the Finnish Family Planning Association, Väestöliitto. Other participants in the seminar included representatives from Ministries, NGOs and civil society. more26 April 2007
Celebrities Kick Off ‘End Fistula’ Campaign in Belgium
BRUSSELS — Singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia, television personality Goedele Liekens, high-level politicians and individuals from the Belgian fashion and media scene gathered to rally support for the Campaign to End Fistula, a global effort to address a devastating injury of childbearing that affects more than 2 million women and girls. “Obstetric fistula was eliminated here in Belgium more than 100 years ago,” said Ms. Imbruglia, spokesperson for the Campaign to End Fistula. “It’s unacceptable that women and girls in Africa and Asia are still suffering from this entirely preventable and treatable condition. more17 April 2007
Belgium Adopts New Policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
BRUSSELS — Belgian development cooperation policy must respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the fight against all forms of discrimination, according to a new development policy note. On 17 April, the Belgian Parliament adopted the ‘Policy paper on Belgian development cooperation in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights’. Under the new policy, Belgian development cooperation must also contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The policy is based on the recommendations and the ICPD Programme of Action adopted in Cairo in 1994. more17 April 2007
Training Health Professionals to Better Protect Survivors of Rape
MONROVIA, Liberia — Survivors of rape in Liberia will now have access to doctors and other medical staff who have been specially trained to deal with them. The health professionals participated in UNHCR/UNFPA’s Clinical Management of Rape Survivors workshops that took place in early March. Wilma Doedens, of the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Unit in Geneva, was the lead trainer. These trainings are especially important in countries in or emerging from conflict, because sexual violence is often common in these situations, and medical staff may not be up to date on the latest treatments. Bridging this gap is one of the key aims of the training. more09 April 2007
European Union Largest Financial Contributor to the UN
BRUSSELS — A new report reveals that European Union Member States combined with the European Commission are the largest financial contributors to the UN System. The first-ever report on "The Partnership between the UN and the EU", published in Brussels last month, documents EC-UN initiatives in many areas of development and humanitarian cooperation. In the field of health, the report highlights the UN-EC focus on prevention, especially in maternal health and vaccination. more29 March 2007
Praise for the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health
GENEVA — In a presentation to the Human Rights Council, UNFPA praised the work of Paul Hunt, Special Rapporteur on the right to health, and the specific references he made to sexual and reproductive health in his annual and country mission reports. In her intervention to the Council’s 4th Session on 28 March, Luz Angela Melo, UNFPA focal point for Human Rights, called the Special Rapporteur’s work invaluable.“Working on reproductive health constitutes a very difficult agenda and the efforts of the Special Rapporteur have helped us in operationalizing the right to reproductive and sexual health with a human rights-based approach,” she said. more27 March 2007
UNFPA Participates in Human Rights Seminar at University of Jyväskyla
JYVÄSKYLÄ, Finland — Asger Ryhl, Chief of UNFPA Nordic Office, gave a presentation on UNFPA, human rights and gender at a seminar on ‘Human Rights Issues in International Development Co-Operation’ sponsored by the Department of Communication of Jyväskylä University. The audience consisted of Finnish journalism students and foreign exchange students. more10 March 2007
UNFPA Officer to Speak on Traumatic Fistula in DR Congo
GENEVA — Ms. Karin Heisecke, Programme Coordination Officer at the UNFPA Brussels Office, will talk about traumatic fistula at an awareness-raising event on sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The event, which was organized by Actions, Femmes et Développement (AFEDE) International to commemorate International Women’s Day, will also feature documentaries “La guerre de Christine” by Patrick Forestier and "Les âmes brisées" by Khalil Gueye. They will be shown in the Museum Autoworld in Brussels. more08 March 2007
UNFPA Representative Speaks About Fistula at the Belgian Senate
BRUSSELS — Dr. France Donnay, the UNFPA Representative in Pakistan, will discuss ‘Obstetric Fistula: A Neglected Area of Maternal Health with Devastating Consequences’ at a special session at the Belgian Senate, hosted by its president Senator Anne-Marie Lizin, on International Women’s Day.The special session, ‘Saving Mothers’ Lives – A Key to Development’, will focus on the need to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 (improving maternal health). more
08 March 2007
No Woman Should Die Giving Life!
COPENHAGEN — On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the four Nordic UNFPA Goodwill Ambassadors, have signed the following message calling for support for women during pregnancy and childbirth: "Today, on the 8th of March, 1440 women will die while giving birth or of other pregnancy related injuries. This is equivalent to four jumbo jets filled with women or one woman dying every minute. But no woman should die giving life because we know what needs to be done. more08 March 2007
UN Joins Together to Seek Solutions to Violence Against Women During War
GENEVA — On the occasion of International Women’s Day, more than 150 people gathered to show solidarity with women worldwide and to discuss how the UN can better respond to sexual violence in conflict situations. Six invited panellists, including Dr. Wilma Doedens, Technical Specialist with UNFPA Humanitarian Response Unit, grappled with how the UN can improve its response to address shocking levels of sexual violence more22 February 2007
UNFPA’s Executive Director to Discuss Gender, Governance and Growth in Africa at High-Level Conference in Berlin
BERLIN — This week UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid joins a group of distinguished panelists to discuss Gender, Governance and Growth in Africa at the conference ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment as Smart Economics: A Dialogue on Policy Options’. The discussion, which takes place on 22 and 23 February, is organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in cooperation with the World Bank Group, the OECD Development Assistance Committee, the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. more21 February 2007
UNFPA’s Executive Director discusses Economic Empowerment of Women in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN — UNFPA’s Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, and the Danish Minister for International Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs, met today to discuss women’s economic empowerment. The meeting offered a preview of what Denmark and UNFPA will focus on when they meet with other key development actors at the high-level conference: “Women’s Economic Empowerment as Smart Economics: A Dialogue on Policy Options” in Berlin later this week. more16 February 2007
German EU Presidency Focuses on Many of UNFPA’s Priority Issues
BRUSSELS– Germany will preside over the European Union from 1 January until 30 June 2007 under the theme “Europe – succeeding together”. Germany is the first country to work closely with the two following presidencies: Portugal and Slovenia. The three countries have agreed on an 18-month programme to lend continuity to the work done during their individual 6-month terms. Their joint programme on development policy, “Strengthening the European Union’s Role as a Global Partner for Development” will address several of UNFPA’s priority issues, including the situation of women and children in armed conflicts, migration, sexually transmitted diseases, and women's rights and gender equality. more15 February 2007
UNFPA to Participate in Debate on MDG 6 and Africa
GENT — On 17 February, Ivan Hermans, Senior External relations and Policy Advisor, UNFPA Brussels Office, will join a range of distinguished Flemish speakers in a debate on Millennium Development Goal 6 and Africa: "Is de Millenniumdoelstelling Nr.6 “Bestrijding van HIV/AIDS, malaria…” in Afrika wel haalbaar?". The debate, hosted by Mondiaal Nieuws ("MO*"), will take place at the auditorium at I.C.C., Citadelpark, Gent, Belgium, beginning at 14h in the context of the Belgian initiative "Africa Matters". For more information (in Dutch), click here. more06 February 2007
Experts on Obstetric Fistula meet Members of the European Parliament in Brussels
BRUSSELS — Véronique Mathieu MEP, vice chair of the Working Group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development in the European Parliament (EPWG), hosted the special session ‘Obstetric Fistula – Ending the Silent Suffering’ in the European Parliament. It attracted Members of the European Parliament, as well as representatives from the European institutions, embassies and NGOs, and thus brought the issue to a variety of decision-makers and stakeholders. It attracted Members of the European Parliament, as well as representatives from the European institutions, embassies and NGOs, and thus brought the issue to a variety of decision-makers and stakeholders. more06 February 2007
UNFPA’s Executive Director to Meet with Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation
STOCKHOLM — UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid will meet with Ministers from Sweden’s newly elected Government as well as representatives from local NGOs and the civil society on 6-7 February. A meeting with Gunilla Carlsson, the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation, is scheduled to discuss UNFPA issues, UN Reforms and the important linkage between reproductive health and rights and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). more26 January 2007
Nordic Parliamentarians Learn about UN Cooperation, AIDS and the MDGs in Mozambique
The Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) and the devastating AIDS epidemic were on top of the agenda for the Nordic Parliamentarians when they toured Mozambique from 21-26 January. Organized by the four founding agencies of United Nations Development Group, (UNFPA, UNDP, WFP and UNICEF), the tour gave the parliamentarians a first-hand experience of UN cooperation at the country level. It focused on the implementation of the MDGs and the UN reform process (One UN). The eight parliamentarians came from five countries and represented both government and opposition parties more18 January 2007
Special Session on Obstetric Fistula in the European Parliament
BRUSSELS— Tuesday 6 February from 9:30-12:30, a special session on “Obstetric Fistula - Ending the Silent Suffering” will be organized by the Working Group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development at the European Parliament (EPWG), upon the initiative of Ms. Véronique Mathieu, MEP. Speakers, including Members of the European Parliament, the UNFPA Representative in Ethiopia, a fistula patient from Nigeria, a medical expert and a representative of the European Commission, will provide insights on this little known but devastating childbirth-related disability. For more information on the event and to register, contact info@epwg.org more16 January 2007
UNFPA Nordic Office Co-organizes Joint UN Study Tour to Mozambique
From 21 to 27 January, eight Nordic Parliamentarians from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will participate in a joint UN study tour to Mozambique. The study tour is organised by the four founding members of the United Nations Development Group; UNFPA, UNDP, WFP and UNICEF. The main objective for the study tour is to give the Nordic parliamentarians a first hand experience of UN cooperation at the country level focusing especially on UN reform and the implementation of the MDGs. more11 January 2007
Denmark Takes Over as Chair of UNDP/UNFPA’s Executive Board
On 11 January, Denmark took over the position as chair of the Executive Board of UNFPA and UNDP. The task will be taken up by the upcoming Danish ambassador to the UN in New York, Mr. Carsten Stauer, who will commence in his new position 1 March. The chairmanship will cover the whole of 2007 and especially three themes will be given high priority according to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: more12 December 2006
Viet Nam’s Sexual Health Services Provide a Model for Europe, says Irish MP
HAI PHONG, Viet Nam — European donor countries can learn from Viet Nam in providing sexual and reproductive health information and services for young people, an Irish member of parliament said during a 2-day study tour to the port city of Hai Phong.Senator Mary Henry was one of seven European parliamentarians introduced to Viet Nam’s youth-friendly health services, set up over the past three years with support from the European Union and UNFPA. more
07 December 2006
UNFPA Co-Hosts Workshop on Gender
GENEVA — UNFPA and UNHCR co-hosted an interactive session on masculinity, sexual and gender based violence and HIV/AIDS in the International Environment House. The event was a part of the international campaign to end violence against women and was intended to raise awareness of the need for more male involvement if we are to eradicate gender based violence and HIV/AIDS. more01 December 2006
Global Youth Advisory Panel Web Journal
Victor Bernhardtz, 22, of Sweden, is one of 21 members of the Youth Advisory Panel that met in UNFPA headquarters in late 2006. A member of the panel since its beginning in 2004, Victor is also a freelance journalist, theatre producer and lecturer. Here’s what he had to say about the meeting in New York:
more
01 December 2006
Young People Learn About the MDGs at International Conference in Switzerland
GENEVA — Ms Lisa Eklund of UNFPA was the keynote speaker at a conference organized by AIESEC, the world's largest student organization. The conference was attended by over 300 young university undergraduates and recent graduates from around Switzerland and 30 countries abroad.Ms. Eklund spoke about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the need for young people to be engaged in achieving them. more
01 December 2006
Danish Minister for Development Hands Out Female Condoms
COPENHAGEN — On the occasion of the World AIDS Day, Ms Ulla Tørnæs, Minister for International Development Cooperation handed out female condoms supplied by the UNFPA Nordic Office to Parliamentarians in the Danish Parliament, Folketinget. By focusing on female condoms the Minister wants to underline the importance of enhancing women’s reproductive health and rights as a mean to combat HIV and AIDS more27 November 2006
Madrid Launch of Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women
On 27 November 2006, UNFPA will participate in the launch of the Council of Europe campaign to Combat Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence during a high-level conference at the Spanish Senate in Madrid. The campaign aims at raising awareness that violence against women is a human rights violation. It promotes effective implementation of measures through legislation and national action plans. The launch of European campaign comes during the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women, a worldwide time of rallying support for this issue. more27 November 2006
More than One Million Dollars Raised for Fistula Campaign
LONDON — On 22 November 2006, Natalie Imbruglia, Spokesperson for the UNFPA-led Campaign to End Fistula and Joan Branson, wife of British entrepreneur Richard Branson, teamed with Virgin Unite, an independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group, to co-host a fundraising event including dinner and auction. All proceeds from the evening – more than US $1 million – will benefit a UNFPA fistula prevention and treatment project in northern Nigeria. more20 November 2006
At the IPCI Meeting: Dispatches from Danish
Kirsten Brosbøl, a member of the Danish Parliament for the Social Democrats since 2005, is the party's spokesperson for equal opportunities and chairs the newly established Danish Parliamentary Network on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. She is participating in the 21-22 November International Parliamentarians’ Conference 2006 and makes the following observations: more13 November 2006
Chasing the Dream in Brussels
BRUSSELS — The Chasing the Dream exhibition moves to the Brussels Exposition Centre (through 17 November) for European Development Days. It will then be shown in Brussels on Stage from the 22-29 of November, daily from 10-5 at 17, Galerie de la Reine, 1000 BXL. more07 November 2006
Nordic Goodwill Ambassadors Tour Mozambique
MAPUTO — It was a very busy first full day of business for the visiting Goodwill Ambassadors from Nordic countries. First stop was the Youth Friendly Health Services at Maputu Central Hospital. Started in 1999 and supported by UNFPA, the centre provides young people (aged 10 to 24) with information, counselling, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and HIV prevention, testing and treatment. It receives about 60 clients daily. more01 November 2006
Four Nordic Goodwill Ambassadors to Visit Mozambique
The four Nordic UNFPA Goodwill Ambassadors will visit Mozambique from November 6-11 to learn more about UNFPA programmes and meet some of the women, men, young people and children who benefit from the Fund’s work in reproductive health and development. The visit to Mozambique will enhance their knowledge of current issues such as HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, family planning and working with young people. more01 November 2006
2006 International Parliamentarians' Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action
The Third International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI/ICPD) will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 21-22 November 2006. The event is organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. The conference will take stock of the progress made by parliamentarians since the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). more19 October 2006
European Support Makes the Difference for Earthquake Survivors
A year after the earthquake in Pakistan, relief and recovery efforts have made an enormous difference in the lives of women and children affected by the disaster. Major funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) as well as from Norway, Germany, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Republic of Korea contributed to this successful collaboration between UNFPA and its partners. more17 October 2006
UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid speaks at Fifth International Dialogue on Population and Sustainable Development.
BERLIN — “Greater investment is needed in population and reproductive health if we are to achieve international development goals,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid in a keynote speach at the Fifth International Dialogue on Population and Sustainable Development. Ms. Obaid also participated in the public discussion on condoms, demography and the developing world. more16 October 2006
Chasing the Dream Tours Europe
BERLIN — Die Welt der Jugend im Licht der Acht Entwicklungsziele, the German version of the Cha sing the Dream exhibit that explores the Millennium Development Goals through the eyes of eight young people, opens today through 26 October. In 2007, the photojournalism exhibit will tour other cities in Germany. (See the calendar for more dates.) Chasing the Dream , a UN inter agency initiative, was originally financed by the Government of Finland. The German version was produced with the support of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and coordinated by Kumulus e.V., UNFPA Brussels Office, the Millennium Campaign in Germany and the German UN Association.more
15 October 2006
STAND UP Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals!
On these two days, people around the world willSTAND UP to remind their governments that promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and help the billions living in extreme poverty must be kept. In Germany and other countries throughout Europe and the world, individuals and organizations are aiming to create an official Guinness World Record for the greatest number of people ever to Stand Up Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. To find events going on in your locale, or to organize your own, check out the website. more
09 October 2006
Reproductive Health Commodity Security — Challenges
BONN — “Reproductive health commodities are just as important to sexual and reproductive health as vaccines are to child survival,” Ms Obaid said in her opening speech to the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, at a meeting co-chaired by KfW Development Bank. “Without supplies, individuals cannot exercise their reproductive rights,” she added. While in Bonn, Ms. Obaid also met with H.E. Professor Alpha Oumar Konaré, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union and with the Deputy Executive Coordinator of UN Volunteers, Ms Joyce Yu.a more05 October 2006
Linking Reproductive Health Supplies with the Millennium Development Goals
BRUSSELS — A high-level seminar drew connections between European development policies, reproductive health and the supplies required to protect it. The seminar was the culmination of a series of activities organized by a consortium of sexual and reproductive heath and rights non-governmental organizations and the European Parliamentary Network on Population and Development working together in the campaign Countdown 2015: Europe. more03 October 2006
Four Nordic Goodwill Ambassadors to Visit Mozambique
This November four Nordic Goodwill Ambassadors will tour Mozambique to learn about realities of life in one of the world’s least developed countries and to draw attention to the challenges posed by poverty, AIDS, maternal mortality and lack of reproductive health services. The Nordic ambassadors include Swedish journalist and television presenter Kattis Ahlstrom; Danish author and journalist Hanne-Vibeke Holst; Norwegian fitness advocate Kari Jaquesson; and Finnish singer/songwriter Mikko Kuustonen. Stay tuned for dispatches from the trip.more
29 September 2006
Fistula Campaign to Launch in Belgium
A media campaign, based on pro-bono materials developed for the United Kingdom , is scheduled to launch 8 March 2007 in Brussels. The translated, pro-bono magazine ads developed by RKCR/Y&R will run in both ELLE Belgique and ELLE Belgïe in March, April and May 2007 (at no cost to UNFPA). This month, in preparation for the launch, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Goedele Liekens and Delphine Kindermans, a reporter from ELLE Belgique, will travel to a UNFPA-supported fistula facility in Niger. more25 September 2006
Fistula Campaign Garners Free Air Time in Major Media
The 60-second “Tip Toe” public service announcement to raise awareness about the issue of obstetric fistula and the global campaign to end it received significant free air time throughout the Europe and the United Kingdom. The 60-second spot aired on BBC Worldwide three times a day, every day, free of charge in July, August and September 2006, for a total of 273 minutes of complimentary airtime more06 September 2006
Highlights from the launch of the State of World Population in Europe
This year’s State of World Population report, with its important findings on how the migration experience affects the lives of women and youth, captured extensive attention throughout Europe, a region that is directly affected by the issue in many ways. BRUSSELS — On 13 September, the report’s principal author, Maria Jose Alcala addressed members of the European Parliament about the findings and their implications for Europe. HELSINKI — Mari Simonen, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (External Relations, UN Affairs and Management), returned to her native country to launch the agency’s flagship report A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration . STOCKHOLM -- Mr. Bjørn Andersson, Chief, Office of UNFPA Executive Director, presented the report together with Minister for development Cooperation, Ms. Carin Jämtin and Minister for Migration, Ms. Barbro Holmberg. moreCalendat of event
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United Nations Climate Change Conference
7 December 2009
Copenhagen, Denmark
Latest publications
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UNFPA 2008
UNFPA's projects and technical assistance in 158 countries and territories in 2008 improved the health of mothers and their children, helped prevent HIV infection, empowered women, promoted sustainable development and stemmed the rise of sexual violence and pregnancy-related deaths in humanitarian crises. The UNFPA Annual Report 2008 highlights the organization's achievements and shows project expenditures and income for the year. -
Programming to Address Violence Against Women
This is the second volume in a series that documents best practices in preventing and responding to violence against women. These eight case studies feature initiatives from Algeria, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, implemented by governments and other partners with support from UNFPA. They can inform efforts on ending violence against women, which is both a human rights violation and a public health concern. -
The Maternal Health Thematic Fund - Business Plan 2008-2011
This business plan for the Maternal Health Thematic Fund outlines its goals, guiding principles, results framework, management, governance and monitoring and evaluation processes for the period 2008-2011.
