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Mental health support teams in Ukraine offer a lifeline in a warzone
Ukraine
DNIPRO, Ukraine – A young mother stepped off the train in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, holding a small bag and guiding her five children with her other arm. She had fled the Zaporizhzhia region due to the war,…
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This Valentine's Day, busting 5 common myths about child marriage
New York
UNITED NATIONS, New York – “I was married at 14, and I lost my first child at 16 during pregnancy,” Ranu Chakma told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Child marriage is common in her…
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Giving birth under fire in North Kivu, as conflict grips the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congo-Brazzaville
NORTH KIVU PROVINCE, The Democratic Republic of the Congo – As fighting intensified in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Francine Toyata clutched her pregnant belly, waves of pain coursing…
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Investing in skilled midwives to save lives and brighten futures in Yemen
Yemen
AL HUDAYDAH/SANA’A GOVERNORATES, Yemen – Rokia Dukhna, 22, had been determined to become a midwife since her own mother endured a tragic experience during childbirth.
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Explainer: How does family planning save lives?
New York
UNITED NATIONS, New York – When a war forcibly displaces tens of thousands of people, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, equips displacement camps and medical personnel with critical…
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“The new generation is different”: In Djibouti, survivors and allies lobby to end female genital mutilation
Djibouti
DJIBOUTI/TADJOURAH REGIONS, Djibouti – “I still see the knife, and the lady who held me down,” said Hawa’a Mohamed Kamil. Now 30, she was subjected to female genital mutilation at just six years old – an experience that…
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Bridging worlds: A Bolivian midwife blends traditional practices with modern medicine for safer childbirth
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
LA PAZ, Bolivia – Having witnessed first-hand women dying in childbirth, midwife Ana Choque understands the critical need for timely health decisions.
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Explainer: What is UNFPA and why does it matter?
UNITED NATIONS, New York – Choosing whether, when and with whom to have a baby. Giving birth safely. Living free of sexual and gender-based violence. These are rights now enshrined in international law, yet they are out…
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Surviving Gaza: The silent struggles of adolescent girls
Palestine, State of
GAZA STRIP, Occupied Palestinian Territory – “Our whole life became a tragedy,” said 15-year-old Mariam* after 15 months of war in Gaza.
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“This support gives us hope”: A journey to motherhood in the midst of Tropical Cyclone Chido
Mozambique
CABO DELGADO PROVINCE, Mozambique – When Tropical Cyclone Chido tore through northern Mozambique in December 2024, 26-year-old Massiala Agostinho was eight months pregnant with her fifth child.
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Underfunded and overlooked: The neglected crises on UNFPA’s radar in 2025
UNITED NATIONS, New York – As the world heads into a new year, humanitarian emergencies in multiple countries are vying for attention – and funds. In 2024, UNFPA’s humanitarian response operations were just 42 per cent…
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“Marriage is a choice”: Working with people with disabilities to address gender-based violence in Madagascar
Madagascar
GRAND SUD REGION, Madagascar – “I live with my six children, one of whom has a disability,” said 40-year-old Zeteny, from the Anôsy region in Madagascar’s Grand Sud region. “I look after my disabled son full-time, and…
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