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Flight from Syria: The story of one child bride
Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, Türkiye
In late 2013, Haneen, now 14, fled Syria with her parents and 10 siblings. As her family made its way to the Turkish border, her father sustained injuries that left him paralyzed. Fearing he could no longer feed his 11…
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Changing the dialogue: Speaking out against female genital mutilation in Indonesia
Indonesia
“There really is no religious postulate for female circumcision, neither from the Al Quran nor from the prophet’s sayings,” said Indonesia’s former First Lady Sinta Nuriyah Wahid’s, as she explained to the attendees of…
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UNFPA on the Zika Virus Outbreak
Everyone should take steps to avoid exposure to the Zika virus. Pregnant women and those of childbearing age should take extra care to avoid exposure to mosquito bites, use insecticide-treated mosquito nets and apply…
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Educating youth about sexual and reproductive health on the beaches of Senegal
Senegal
On a hot summer day in December 2015, Khady, a quiet 19-year-old, approached a lively crowd of Senegalese youth gathered on a beach in Keur Massar, a development near Dakar. She listened attentively as representatives…
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Young South Sudanese actors and athletes take on violence, HIV
South Sudan, Uganda
The carnage Mike Marchar witnessed has stayed with him. But there is one thing that takes his mind off those horrors: football.
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Harmful traditions contribute to traumatic birth injuries in Chad
Chad
Like many child brides, Micheline Yotoudjim suffered terribly after she was married. She was married off at age 14, became pregnant at 16, and then experienced a prolonged, obstructed labour. Her baby was eventually…
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Giving women choices: Family planning options increase in rural Ethiopia
Ethiopia
“My heart is with him,” said Netsanet*, speaking of her husband, who has moved away to a distant town, leaving her and their son behind in a rural village in northern Ethiopia.
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Health needs paramount as refugees and migrants stream through Serbia
Serbia
Every day, thousands of refugees and migrants stream through Serbia, one leg of their perilous journey towards safety and stability. So far this year, over a million migrants and refugees have entered Europe,…
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Youth advocates take on child marriage, gender inequality in Albania
Albania
“When I was sixth grade, my mother used to say, very often, ‘Finish this year, and do not go to school anymore’,” said Gina,* a youth advocate from the marginalized Roma community in Albania.
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507 maternal deaths take place every day in emergencies, fragile settings, flagship report says
Humanitarian crises are taking an enormous toll around the world. More people are displaced today than at any time since World War II, and among those affected, women and girls are the most vulnerable.
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Post-rape care needed to protect against HIV in conflict-affected Ukraine
Ukraine
Even before the conflict in Ukraine, sexual and gender-based violence often went unreported due to stigma, fear of retribution, and lack of trust in legal, medical and social support systems. But the conflict has made…
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“If It’s Not On, It’s Not Safe”: Ugandan musicians promote condom use to save lives
Uganda
“A commando dies if he neglects the bullet proof. How do you work on a farm minus gumboots?” raps popular Ugandan musician GNL Zamba in the hit song “If It’s Not On, It’s Not Safe”. Behind these clever lyrics is a life-…
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