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Maternal deaths halved in 20 years, but faster progress needed

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 16 May 2012 – The number of women dying of pregnancy and childbirth related complications has almost halved in 20 years, according to new estimates released today by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank. more

UNFPA offers training on survey sub-analysis

United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA’s Sub-Regional Office in Johannesburg is organizing a training workshop on Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Sub-Analysis for Family Planning and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Contraceptive Market Segmentation. The workshop will be held at Park Inn Sandton from 13-19 May 2012. more

Remembering and honouring our mothers

My mother, Morenike Osotimehin, was a remarkable woman. A great entrepreneur and an excellent wife to my father, who was a schoolteacher, she managed her own small business, sourcing fruits, and gave birth to eight children: four boys and four girls. Read this Mother's Day tribute by Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in Huffington Post. more
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Our areas of expertise

We work to improve people’s quality of life in the 46 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, targeting women and young people. The areas we work in are interlinked:

Sexual and reproductive health
Reproductive health commodity security
HIV and AIDS
Gender equality
Population and development
Adolescents & youth
Humanitarian emergencies
 

We are making a difference


...in the Congo
Maternal deaths have dropped drastically.
...in Madagascar
Contraceptive use has tripled in 10 years.
...in Zimbabwe HIV prevalence has declined among pregnant women. » More

  

Interventions that work

What elements of our programmes to improve quality of life in Africa have ensured success? This section documents evidence of interventions that have been shown to make a difference in the lives of the people they target. » More

Our campaigns


CARMMA
  Our campaign to reduce maternal deaths in Africa to meet the MDG targets is already achieving results. » More

End Fistula
  Repairing women with fistula, an internal injury due to obstructed labour or genital violence, causing leaking urine or faeces. » More

MORE at video.unfpa.org

Educate girls to escape early marriage

In the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the rate of child marriage is among the highest in the world. Half of all girls in this region are married before their 15th birthday. Amharic for ‘light of eve’, the Berhane Hewan project is designed to impart to adolescent girls in rural areas the knowledge, skills and resources they need to avoid early marriage, with additional support to girls who are already married.

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4:11 mins - 2011
Interview with Dr. Catherine Hamlin on fistula

Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Catherine Hamlin talks about her crusade to end obstetric fistula, a childbirth injury that affects millions of women worldwide.

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6:56 mins - 2011
Maternal mortality - for how long?

What is UNFPA doing to reduce the unacceptably high death rate of women from childbearing? Dr. Akinyele Eric Dairo, Senior Programme Officer, speaks from Tunisia.

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1:18 mins - 2012
Speaking out against female genital mutilation/cutting

UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, speaks out on International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.

MORE at video.unfpa.org