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How to address low fertility fears? Invest in young people
PRAGUE, Czech Republic – When Maryana Borisova was a teenager in Bulgaria, she seemed destined to follow the same life path as other girls in her traditional Roma community: She would get married and have her first…
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Fistula survivors treated through M-Pesa mobile banking scheme in Tanzania
Tanzania, United Republic of
NEW YORK, United States – Mama Hadija, now in her 60s, had grown accustomed to living in shame. Over 25 years ago, she suffered a prolonged, obstructed labour. The ordeal caused her to develop an obstetric fistula, a…
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In southern Malawi, reaping the benefits of investing in adolescent girls
Malawi
LILONGWE, Malawi – “I started having an affair with a grown man when I turned 11. I was in the final year of my primary education,” recalls Mercy Jackson, a young girl from the Chikhwawa district in southern Malawi.…
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On World Population Day, UNFPA calls for investment in youth
UNITED NATIONS, New York – On 11 July, as communities everywhere observe World Population Day, UNFPA calls for investments in support of the largest-ever generation of youth. Young people – those aged 10 to 24 –…
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Investing in youth pays dividends, evidence from Sri Lanka shows
Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Young people hold the keys to the future; unlocking their potential will lead to a better world for everyone. These facts are supported by mounting evidence from Sri Lanka, where UNFPA has worked…
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Roadmap promises to save lives of 140,000 women and 250,000 newborns
UNITED NATIONS, New York – As the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) draws near, advocates are intensifying efforts to improve maternal and newborn survival. At a meeting of the United…
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In South Sudan camp, midwifery training offers a crucial a lifeline
South Sudan
JUBA, South Sudan – It is the middle of the night in a crowded displacement camp in Juba, South Sudan, and 25-year-old Marsa Nyaluak is losing blood fast. She is in labour and has been bleeding for two hours. She needs…
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UN Secretary-General pledges support to reduce maternal death in Kenya
Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Kenya has welcomed a call by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a special focus to be placed on adolescent girls to reduce maternal death in…
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Empowering communities saves women's lives in Tigray, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
TIGRAY REGION, Ethiopia – Mitslal Giday has been working as a community mobilizer in the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia for the past 20 years – and the last two have been some of the most exciting of her career, she…
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Women and girls at risk as conflict escalates in Iraq
Iraq
UNITED NATIONS, New York – Approximately one million people have been displaced by the mounting crisis in northern and western Iraq. The deteriorating security has left some 250,000 women and girls – including nearly 60…
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Supporting survivors of gender-based violence in war-ravaged Syria
Syrian Arab Republic
DAMASCUS, Syria – As a new mother, Wardeh’s life should have been filled with hope and anticipation. But like many young women in war-ravaged Syria, her life has become a daily struggle. Wardeh, 24, is one of an…
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Violence against women and girls: enough is enough, says UNFPA Head
Sudan
UNITED NATIONS, New York – UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, in his remarks to government and United Nations officials today, underlined the need for urgent and intensified efforts to end gender-based…
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