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From fear to gratitude at a maternity hospital in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – “When they placed a warm bundle on my chest and said, ‘It’s a girl,’ I couldn’t hold back the tears,” said 24-year-old Gulirano from Uzbekistan’s capital city, Tashkent. “That was my Khadicha.”
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5 ways UNFPA’s humanitarian work supports women and girls in the world’s biggest crises
UNITED NATIONS, New York – A new humanitarian appeal released today by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, calls for US$ 1 billion in urgent funding for 2026 to support women and girls…
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With maternity centres under attack, more women are at risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Ukraine
KHERSON/KYIV, Ukraine – In a neonatal unit at Kyiv Hospital, Anton* rests in a mobile incubator. He was born premature three days earlier, an occurrence that health workers say has become increasingly common.
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Despite many closures, UNFPA safe spaces continue to provide support to survivors of gender-based violence in Yemen
Yemen
HADRAMAWT GOVERNORATE, Yemen – “One night I was a girl with a home, school and dreams,” said Lutfia*, now 20. “The next morning I became a displaced child who carried responsibilities and fears that were far bigger than…
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Five things decision-makers need to know about digital violence and young people
UNITED NATIONS, New York – “When I was 16 I got rape threats for speaking up about feminism,” an 18-year-old woman in Syria told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.
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Breaking the silence: Zimbabwe initiative reaches survivors of violence
East & Southern Africa
BUBI DISTRICT, Zimbabwe – For years, Tjedza* endured sexual violence at the hands of her father. Clara*, an elderly woman, experienced abuse at the hands of her son. And for most of Tabeth’s* married life, she bore…
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Unlocking the promise of youth leadership
Democratic Republic of the Congo
GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo/NEW YORK, United Nations – “To heal from our war wounds, we must protect ourselves rather than inflict the same pain on others.” These were the words of Sarah Kyabu Ntambwe, an…
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“We are the peer navigators”: In the Philippines, youth leaders tackle adolescent pregnancy
SAMAR, Philippines – “People my age are not talking about sex because of the cultural norms and traditions passed down by older generations,” Shameerah De Guzman told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive…
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Hope and healing: Women in Somalia reclaim their lives from obstetric fistula
Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Farhiya, a 38-year-old from rural Beletweyne, faced a decade of hardship that began with life-threatening childbirth complications.
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Women flee atrocities in Sudan’s El Fasher only to face new crisis in overcrowded camps
Sudan
TAWILA/AL DABBA, Sudan – The seizure of El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state, by the Rapid Support Forces, following more than 530 days of siege, shelling and bombardment, has unleashed a new wave of…
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Five myths – and facts – about contraception
UNITED Nations, New York – Around the world, more people than ever are using modern methods of contraception. The number of users has about doubled since 1990 – a major public health success that has allowed millions of…
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“When girls succeed, entire communities change”: A rural shelter in Kenya giving girls hope beyond female genital mutilation
NAROK COUNTY, Kenya – “Female genital mutilation is carried out in secret, and in some villages in Narok County the rate is as high as 99 per cent,” explains Patrick Ngigi, founder of the community-based organization…
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