Global Affairs Canada has pledged US$7.2 million to UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to respond to severe humanitarian needs in 13 countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
The contribution will strengthen UNFPA's sexual and reproductive health and rights efforts in the region over the next two years. Specifically, the funding aims to support the provision of comprehensive sexual and gender-based violence response services, reinforce local capacity to deliver them and raise awareness on key health issues and promote access to services in humanitarian contexts.
Recipient countries include Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan.
Canada also committed CA$3 million (US$2.2 million) in flexible funding to UNFPA's Humanitarian Thematic Fund to support a timely response to unforeseen or emerging crises and underfunded emergencies.
In Mali, maternal mortality rates are alarmingly high - estimated at 440 deaths per 100,000 births, according to 2023 United Nations estimates - and accessing essential maternal health services is extremely challenging. While the realities faced by pregnant women in Mali like 16-year-old Aissata Touré are dire, the support and solidarity of partners like Canada provide a glimmer of hope amid adversity.
With the support of partners, UNFPA was able to supply critical delivery equipment to the maternity ward at the Sominé Dolo Hospital in Mali, where health-care workers attended approximately 2,250 safe births in 2023. With new funding from Global Affairs Canada, UNFPA can continue to provide life-saving care in crisis-affected regions and make a tangible difference in the lives of those most affected.
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Global Affairs Canada's grant underscores the international community's solidarity with those affected by humanitarian crises and reaffirms the value of joining forces in addressing global challenges. UNFPA recognizes Global Affairs Canada's commitment towards the health and well-being of women and girls.
Canada is among UNFPA's top donors, and was its 9th-largest donor in 2023. As part of its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada made a 10-year commitment to reach an average of $1.4 billion in funding each year by 2023 to support women's, children's and adolescents' health around the world; $700 million of this funding is dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Canada is scaling up investments in underfunded areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including in the health and rights of adolescents through comprehensive sexuality education and supporting family planning and advocating for the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.
