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UNFPA responds to gender violence in conflict-scarred Kachin
Myanmar
“Some women are very upset and are not able to immediately explain what has happened,” caseworker Daw Lu Bu explained in Myanmar’s conflict-ridden Kachin State, where she treats survivors of gender-based violence. “I…
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Over 1 million affected by brutal flooding, landslides in Peru
Peru
More than 1 million people have been affected by an unprecedented level of flooding, landslides and heavy rains in Peru. Twenty-four out of the country’s 25 departments are grappling with the crisis, including Lima,…
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Traditional leaders stand up to protect youth from HIV, unintended pregnancy
Eswatini
“We have high youth unemployment and high teenage pregnancy,” Mr. Obed, a traditional leader in Shiselweni, Swaziland, told UNFPA. Yet many conservative, rural communities have resisted publicly discussing topics that…
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Cambodian midwives hone skills to save lives
Cambodia
In Cambodia, giving birth is often called “crossing the river.” Both can be dangerous – even deadly – if something goes wrong. This is particularly true for women living in the remote areas, who may lack information…
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Teen mothers in Kenya become powerful advocates for change
Purity Bahati was only 15 when she started dating her boyfriend, a 28-year-old man. “He told me he loved me, and I believed him,” she said. She was pregnant by the time she was 17.
The pregnancy forced…
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At two-year mark, Yemen’s conflict takes heavy toll on women and girls
Yemen
On 26 March 2015, the conflict in Yemen dramatically escalated. Two years later, it has become one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
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Girls in crisis settings overlooked for life-saving care, say health advocates
Lebanon
“To be pregnant in the middle of a humanitarian setting is already a dangerous situation, but for girls aged 15 to 19 the risk of pregnancy-related death is already twice as high than for somebody in their twenties. For…
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Efforts to end FGM must be intensified, leaders urge
Egypt
“I will soon be the happy mother of a baby girl,” Shaimaa Ahmed Ali told UNFPA in Egypt last summer. “I will definitely not have her circumcised. My husband and I agree on that. She will grow up to be a strong and…
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Sex selection leads to dangerous gender imbalance; new programme to tackle root causes
“I’ve been a priest for 25 years. During this time, I’ve met a lot of families ready to terminate their pregnancy just because of expecting a girl,” said Giorgi Ugrekhelidze, a religious leader in Georgia. “In most…
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Women’s needs take back seat under threat of dzud in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia was struck by harsh conditions this winter, raising risks for pastoral and nomadic communities. An estimated 165,000 people were affected, according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Mongolia. The…
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Ninety per cent of Sri Lankan women endure sexual harassment on public transport, UNFPA study shows
Sri Lanka
Ninety per cent of women in Sri Lanka have endured sexual harassment while taking public transport, a new study commissioned by UNFPA has found.
The findings, released last week , offer a stark view into…
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Four women’s rights activists you need to know
Today, despite decades of activism and promises, women remain disadvantaged in almost every realm – from the workplace and home to the highest levels of business and government.
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