A fragile has provided temporary relief, but the humanitarian crisis remains severe. Women and girls are urging the international community to ensure lasting peace and continued support from agencies like UNFPA.
Nestor Owomuhangi, UNFPA Representative in Palestine, stresses the need for .
works to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person has guaranteed access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights.
Adolescent girls in Gaza face overwhelming challenges, including displacement, trauma, and a lack of basic resources, but initiatives offering psychosocial support and education provide hope for their recovery and future.
Georgi Wahba, 53, a prominent advocate against female genital mutilation (FGM) in Upper Egypt, highlights the widespread nature of the practice despite it being outlawed. In his village, 96% of ever-married women aged 15 to 49 have undergone FGM. Wahba organizes sessions as part of the United Nations Population Fundâs () âGeneration Dialoguesâ project, which aims to change harmful practices by involving families in discussions about social norms. Funded by Norway, the initiative has engaged over 350 community members, training them to communicate effectively about FGM. Wahba emphasizes the importance of individual understanding and encourages community members to think critically about longstanding customs.
80,000 people, including 1,230 pregnant women, need humanitarian assistance after the devastating earthquake in Vanuatu. âIt pains me to see this vibrant country battered by yet another natural disaster,â says Dr. Natalia Kanem, who recently visited the Pacific island. See .
The new year offers hope for peace, safety, and better futures, with 2024 teaching us lessons to create an improved reproductive health system in 2025.
Gender-based violence violates human rights, particularly for women and girls in situations of crisis, conflict, and displacement.
The climate crisis is severely impacting Chad, where residents face devastating flooding. "Everything I own is under water," said one displaced individual. Since July 2024, the Chari River has overflowed, affecting all 23 provinces, displacing over 13,000 people. With more than 1 million women and girls in need of sexual and reproductive health services, UNFPAâs response is critical, but due to severe underfunding, many lack access to essential care and protection services amidst the crisis.
Tradition, chastity, and marriageability are some of the reasons often cited for the prevalence of female genital mutilation among women and girls in Egypt. However, the real driving forces behind this harmful practice are gender bias, misogyny, and inequality. Meet several individualsâincluding grandmothers, fathers, farmers, teachers, and shopkeepersâwho have recognized female genital mutilation as a form of gender-based violence and have committed to putting an end to it. Read on to discover how these people have become catalysts for change within their communities.
Nearly 50 mothers and their children are killed every day in Gaza, and aid has drastically decreased, raising fears of famine. Parents tell the United Nations Population Fund () of their urgent need to give birth safely, find food, and keep their children warm amid ongoing violence. Jawaher went into labor while fleeing violence in Gaza City, enduring two days before reaching a hospital to give birth safely. With 80% of Gaza facing evacuation orders and 130 births expected daily, her situation is increasingly common. UN efforts to deliver aid have been severely hindered. Despite UNFPA's commitment to women and girls, essential aid is at its lowest level in 11 months, leaving many Palestinians without basic necessities.
Three women: from Sudan, from Ukraine, and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo share their stories of surviving wartime rape and domestic violence to find safety and support in clinics run by the (UNFPA) and partners. A staggering 70 percent of women in conflict zones are subjected to gender-based violence. Maria, a Ukrainian woman, fled her home due to the war, but was forced to return to an abusive partner, enduring further trauma. Now on the road to healing, Maria says she is profoundly grateful to the people who listened, and cared. âThey simply looked me in the eyes, extended a hand and said, âHold on, hold my hand, and Iâll help you.â UNFPA's efforts are critical in addressing the urgent needs of these survivors, offering healthcare, counseling, and protection services to rebuild their lives.
The year 2023 was recorded as the hottest year on Earth, and 2024 is projected to break that unwelcome record. Extreme weather has become the "new abnormal," with droughts, storms, floods, and wildfires occurring more frequently, lasting longer, and increasing in intensity. New data released by the United Nations Population Fund () and the shows how extreme weather and disasters are severely impacting poor and vulnerable women and girls on the front lines of the climate crisis. Of the , six are among the 10 countries with the highest maternal death rates: Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan. Unless sufficient investments are made toward improving maternal health outcomes in these countries, severe weather events will only heighten the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth.
After undergoing a Caesarean section days before the strike, Samah fled to the Syrian border. When her car was blocked by a crater, she had to continue on foot with her children. âI wrapped my stomach with a clean cloth and carried my son and went down to the border,â she said. Luckily, Samah reached a clinic at the border where a United Nations Population Fund () medical team examined her and confirmed she and her newborn were healthy. âI felt hope again,â she noted, as they provided antibiotics, nutrients, and a sense of safety. Samah was among the fortunate few to receive care amid the healthcare crisis in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank, where conflict has severely impacted medical services.
The 600 million adolescent girls in the world have infinite potential, but they need support to realize it. To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, we go behind the scenes with six young women - a dancer, an educator, a future leader, an adviser and an advocate- who are working with the United Nations Population Fund () to make a difference or benefiting from those initiatives, inspiring hope for us all.
The consequences of crises disproportionately affect women. Even though most combatants are male, over two-thirds of civilians killed in conflict are women and children. Women and girls also make up the majority of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. However, male-dominated fighting forces and majority-male policymakers often lead peacebuilding processes. What role do women and young people play in promoting peace, and how does the United Nations Population Fund () empower them to participate?
