News story
“Displacement took more than my home”: Women and girls describe fleeing violence in northern Syria
Syrian Arab Republic
ALEPPO, Syrian Arab Republic – When fighting intensified near her neighbourhood in Aleppo, in northern Syria, Fatima and her family had to run. Now eight months pregnant and sheltering in a makeshift camp, the mother of…
Read story
News story
Inclusive care reaches survivors of gender-based violence in Indonesia
Indonesia
BREBES/SERANG/GARUT, Indonesia – “Inclusivity is not a luxury,” said Rita, a counsellor who works with women and children in need of protection in Serang, on the island of Java in Indonesia. “It is a necessity.”
Read story
News story
“It was tragic”: Women and health workers in Sudan describe fleeing El Fasher
Sudan
NORTH DARFUR STATE, Sudan – “In El Fasher, I couldn’t have any health check-ups because there were no hospitals left near us,” said Zainab, 26, who was pregnant during describing a brutal siege that lasted 18 months in…
Read story
News story
Midwives offer a ray of hope amid horror, as harsh winter grips Gaza
Palestine, State of
GAZA, The Occupied Palestinian Territory — When Rana learned she was pregnant, her joy was quickly overshadowed by another feeling – fear.
Read story
News story
Wrapping up 2025: Good news stories from a bad year
UNITED NATIONS, New York – Throughout 2025, the world read about the record number of conflicts and climate crises tearing apart countries and communities. We heard how steep cuts to humanitarian funding are spelling…
Read story
News story
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.”
Read story
News story
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…
Read story
News story
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.
Read story
News story
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…
Read story
News story
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.
News story
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…
Read story
News story
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…
Read story