|| By Danmaryam Zayamu
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has disclosed that it is currently working with other partners to dismantle all barriers standing against women’s rights and choices.
It, however, lamented that over 300,000 women and girls die annually while giving birth.
This is contained in a statement by the UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, in commemoration of International Women’s Day.
“UNFPA is working with our partners, including young activists and change-makers, to dismantle the barriers standing between women and girls and their rights and choices.
“To achieve a gender-equal world, all women and girls must be empowered to realize their sexual and reproductive health and rights. We aim to achieve “three zeros” by 2030: zero unmet need for family planning; zero preventable maternal deaths; and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.
“Our efforts are based on high-quality data and evidence to ensure that no one is left behind.
“Achieving these three zeros will require decision-makers to put their political and financial might behind fulfilling the promises made at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 25 years ago,” she stressed.
Dr. Kanem, however, regretted that: “One in three women will face physical or sexual violence in her lifetime.
“One in five girls is married before age 18, and 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone some form of female genital mutilation.
“These numbers are shocking, yet they only scratch the surface of our unequal world.
“Every year, nearly 300,000 women and girls die while giving life; the vast majority of these maternal deaths could be prevented.
“Hundreds of millions of women and girls want to avoid pregnancy, yet are not using reliable, modern methods of family planning.
“Think for a moment about the conditions – the poverty, denial of information, unequal power relations, lack of access – that conspire to prevent millions of women from exercising their fundamental rights and making choices over their own bodies and futures.”
No Comments