Rwanda: Putting Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights At Front and Center in Rwanda

Community engagement has been regarded as a vital component to ensure that adolescents and young people have access to information on Sexual and Reproductive Health and rights… Read more »

Africa: Risking Death to Deliver Life - Too Many Women Are Still Paying the Ultimate Price

Joint Op-ed by Lydia Zigomo, Regional Director, UNFPA East and Southern Africa and Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, Director of UNFPA Technical Division Read more »

Africa: Curbing the Alarming Rates of Maternal and Newborn Deaths - UNFPA and Partners Call for Urgent Action to Invest in Midwifery

Every two minutes, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth; every 16 minutes, a baby is stillborn - most of these deaths are preventable with access to skilled midwives. Read more »

Southern Africa: Youth Leaders From East and Southern Africa Unite and Embark On HIV and Sexual, Reproductive Health Movement

More than 100 young people from 14 countries across East and Southern Africa gathered for a three and half day summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, to delve into critical issues… Read more »

Angola: Angola's Youth Take Charge of Their Sexual and Reproductive Health Through the Safeguard Young People Programme

Youth activist Silvia Francisco was stumped by an internal battle she faced - until she joined a programme that empowers people in their sexual and reproductive health. "I live… Read more »

Mozambique: Survivors of Cyclone Freddy Face Worst Cholera Outbreak in Two Decades

Tropical Cyclone Freddy and widespread flooding have swept through Mozambique, killing 183 people and leaving more than 640,000 homeless. Making matters worse, in the aftermath of… Read more »

Africa: Population Bomb, Bust - or Boon? New UNFPA Report Debunks 8 Myths About a World of 8 Billion

On 15 November 2022, the world's population reached a landmark 8 billion people. It's a staggering number - but what does it mean? What are the implications for the lives, rights,… Read more »

Africa: UNFPA Report Urges Radical Rethink of How Countries Address Changing Demographics

New data reveals population anxieties are widespread and governments are increasingly adopting policies aimed at raising, lowering or maintaining fertility rates. But efforts to… Read more »

Malawi: Young Mothers Find a Space Safe From Tropical Storm Freddy's Catastrophic Consequences

"We are sleeping in the cold," says 19-year-old Mirriam Karilito, who is seven months pregnant. "And when the rains come, it's worse." Read more »

Mozambique: 'Parents Thank Us for the Choices Their Daughters Make' - the Power of Youth Mentors in Reducing Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage

Mozambique It was a tough challenge that met strong resistance. But the group of young women that promote sexual and reproductive health among their peers in Montepuez could not… Read more »

Madagascar: How One Woman Went Into Labour As Cyclone Freddy Slammed Into Madagascar

"We knew the delivery was imminent and that everything was going well... But we didn't know it was going to be today." Georgette, a 26-year-old mother from Manakara in Madagascar,… Read more »

Namibia: Maternity Waiting Home Reduces Risks for Young Mothers-to-Be

Expecting her first child this month, Karikikuta van der Merve, 18, found herself in a predicament. Her tender age placed her at a higher risk of complications during childbirth.… Read more »

Africa: Six UNFPA Programmes Around the World Ensuring 'Health for All' in a World of 8 Billion

Today [April 7] marks the first World Health Day that humanity will celebrate as 8 billion. Read more »

Congo-Kinshasa: DRC Midwives Use New Groundbreaking Birthing Model With Survivors of Sexual Violence

When 16-year-old Esther* arrived at Panzi hospital in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, doctors confirmed her worst fear: she was pregnant. Esther had been raped… Read more »

South Sudan: 'Early Marriage, Unintended Pregnancies the Elephant in the Room in Displaced Persons Camp'

Mother-of-five Rebecca Nyakot, displaced from Unity State following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan in 2013, often goes for long periods without food or clean, drinkable… Read more »

Africa: Statement By UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem On the Attempted Criminalization of Homosexuality

Human rights are inherent to all human beings, and these rights are guaranteed for every person, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Read more »

Malawi: 'I Prayed My Family Would Make It Out Before the Mud Hit the House'

Around midnight, Edith Goliyati, 32, made a trip to the toilet and took her 11-month-old son with her, a decision she will forever be grateful for. All day, heavy rains from… Read more »

Madagascar: UNFPA Launches Digital Incubation Space to Empower Young People in Madagascar to Innovate for Change

Madagascar's First Lady, Mialy Rajoelina, launched a digital incubation space provided by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, where young people can… Read more »

South Sudan: Protecting Women and Girls Against Sexual Violence in the World's Youngest Country

After suffering years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her husband, including a denial of resources, Aluel was considering taking her own life. Then members of her… Read more »

Africa: Women and Girls Have the Right to Live Free From Violence and Have Agency Over Their Bodies and Lives

Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on International Women's Day Read more »

Africa: Five Reasons Why Women and Girls Must Have Equal Rights in Our Digital World

International Women's Day is an occasion for people around the world to celebrate the contributions of women and girls to all aspects of human progress. But it is also an… Read more »

Kenya: 'Midwives Are the Bridge' - Educator Duncan Shikuku On Helping Maternal Health Providers Ease Women's Fears and Save Lives

Midwifery educator Duncan Shikuku will never forget the day in 2011 when a new mother was rushed into the hospital where he worked, carried by her family. Read more »

Tanzania: How One of the World's Largest Refugee Camps Achieved Zero Maternal Deaths in 2022

Last year, one of the world's largest refugee camps quietly achieved a remarkable feat. Nyarugusu refugee camp hosts more than 130,000 refugees, almost three times its original… Read more »

Southern Africa: New Hope for Reducing Cervical Cancer Deaths in East and Southern Africa

A poignant story about a woman from Malawi this week resonates deeply with me. At the age of 40, Mary went for cervical cancer screening and tested positive. Because the cancer had… Read more »

Mozambique: Reshaping Masculinity - 'I Changed the Way I See the World. When a Girl Says No, It Is No'

At seventeen, Vasco César is rethinking some of his views, especially about women. "I always thought that because I was a man, I had to have more privileges than my sisters,… Read more »