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Five things decision-makers need to know about digital violence and young people
UNITED NATIONS, New York – “When I was 16 I got rape threats for speaking up about feminism,” an 18-year-old woman in Syria told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.
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Breaking the silence: Zimbabwe initiative reaches survivors of violence
East & Southern Africa
BUBI DISTRICT, Zimbabwe – For years, Tjedza* endured sexual violence at the hands of her father. Clara*, an elderly woman, experienced abuse at the hands of her son. And for most of Tabeth’s* married life, she bore…
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Unlocking the promise of youth leadership
Democratic Republic of the Congo
GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo/NEW YORK, United Nations – “To heal from our war wounds, we must protect ourselves rather than inflict the same pain on others.” These were the words of Sarah Kyabu Ntambwe, an…
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“We are the peer navigators”: In the Philippines, youth leaders tackle adolescent pregnancy
SAMAR, Philippines – “People my age are not talking about sex because of the cultural norms and traditions passed down by older generations,” Shameerah De Guzman told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive…
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Hope and healing: Women in Somalia reclaim their lives from obstetric fistula
Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Farhiya, a 38-year-old from rural Beletweyne, faced a decade of hardship that began with life-threatening childbirth complications.
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Women flee atrocities in Sudan’s El Fasher only to face new crisis in overcrowded camps
Sudan
TAWILA/AL DABBA, Sudan – The seizure of El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state, by the Rapid Support Forces, following more than 530 days of siege, shelling and bombardment, has unleashed a new wave of…
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Five myths – and facts – about contraception
UNITED Nations, New York – Around the world, more people than ever are using modern methods of contraception. The number of users has about doubled since 1990 – a major public health success that has allowed millions of…
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“When girls succeed, entire communities change”: A rural shelter in Kenya giving girls hope beyond female genital mutilation
NAROK COUNTY, Kenya – “Female genital mutilation is carried out in secret, and in some villages in Narok County the rate is as high as 99 per cent,” explains Patrick Ngigi, founder of the community-based organization…
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Amid Sudan’s grinding war, maternity hospital offers a beacon of hope
Sudan
WHITE NILE STATE, Sudan – In the heart of Sudan’s White Nile State, Kosti Maternity Hospital stands as a beacon of hope. This vital facility, a main referral point, supported by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and…
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Amid displacement and despair in Gaza, glimmers of hope for a better tomorrow
Palestine, State of
GAZA STRIP, Occupied Palestinian Territory – "My family and I have been displaced more than 18 times,” Riman said last week, shortly before the current ceasefire took effect.
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Midwives in Uganda ramp up action against postpartum bleeding, a leading cause of maternal death
Uganda
KAMPALA, Uganda – In the relentless, high-pressure maternity ward of Kawempe National Referral Hospital, Uganda’s busiest public birthing centre, a quiet revolution is underway. Amid the beeping of machinery and cries…
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“I still want to finish school”: A crisis of reproductive agency for girls in Namibia
Namibia
KUNENE REGION, Namibia – “I should have been in Grade 11 this year,” said 21-year-old Elly Tjondu. “That’s all I want, to go back and finish school.”
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