Statements and speeches
Statement
Trusting statistics to tell the story
20 October 2020
A statistic is not only a number – it tells a human story. It speaks of people’s health and well-being, problems and prospects, and socio-economic circumstances. When collected and analysed well, statistics can advance sustainable development, identifying those at risk of being left behind.
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Let’s listen to girls and uphold their rights
11 October 2020
It is every girl’s right to speak and to be heard. Today, on the International Day of the Girl, let’s commit to listening to and lifting up girls’ voices.
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High-level Meeting on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women
01 October 2020
Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem at the High-level Meeting on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, 1 October 2020
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Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond
29 September 2020
Remarks by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem to the Meeting of Heads of State and Government on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond on 29 September 2020.
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UNFPA deeply concerned about reports of violations of women's reproductive rights
23 September 2020
Recent news reports from around the world about invasive, life-altering reproductive health procedures performed without knowledge or consent, if true, are a serious cause for alarm.…
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South-South cooperation takes us further on the road to global solidarity
12 September 2020
In the past 40 years, our world has transformed. Many developing countries in the Global South have emerged from poverty and built thriving economies and societies. They drive much of the global economic dynamism we have seen in recent times.
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Second Regular Session 2020 of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS
02 September 2020
Statement of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem to the Second Regular Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS on 2 September 2020.
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Celebrating the Real-life Heroes Battling COVID-19, Crises and Disasters
19 August 2020
Saving lives has never been more harrowing. Last year saw attacks against aid workers surpass all previous records, with hundreds of humanitarian workers assaulted, injured, kidnapped or killed. This year, threats to health-care personnel are escalating amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do health workers face exposure to the deadly coronavirus, but they are also enduring a rising tide of violence, with attacks driven by fear and misinformation.
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Youth leading the way in COVID-19 solutions
12 August 2020
Young people have been frontline responders to the COVID-19 pandemic, mobilizing across the world. They are health workers, activists, innovators, and social and community workers.
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We must win the battle against human trafficking
30 July 2020
Every year, tens of thousands of people are trafficked across and within national borders. While men and boys tend to be trafficked into forced labour, women and girls tend to be trafficked into forced sex.
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Peace in the home: safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls – even during COVID-19
11 July 2020
Peace in our world begins with peace in the home, as the United Nations Secretary-General stated in his call for a global ‘ceasefire’ on gender-based violence – a pandemic within the COVID pandemic. One woman in three experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. Now, with countries on lockdown and household tensions heightened, gender-based violence is on the rise, and sexual and reproductive health services are being sidelined by health systems struggling to cope with COVID-19.
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Secretary-General's message on World Population Day
11 July 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic affects everyone, everywhere, but it does not affect everyone equally. It is deepening existing inequalities and vulnerabilities, particularly for women and girls. With…
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