FINLAND: Working to Prevent Child Marriage
Keskisuomalainen and Etelä-Suomen Sanomat on 13 May published an article co-written by UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin and Finland’s Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala on UNFPA's work to prevent child marriages with the support of the government of Finland. Focus was on Mother's Day and those girls who become mothers too early. Read in Finnish: Keskisuomalainen
DENMARK: Spreading the Word About Maternal Health and Teen Pregnancy
U-landsnyt on 13 May and the web page of the University of Copenhagen wrote about the joint UNFPA, DANIDA and the University of Copenhagen Mother's Day to-go cup–campaign. More than 23,000 yellow to-go coffee cups with messages about maternal health and teenage pregnancies were distributed on DSB trains (Danish public railway) across the country to draw attention to the unfinished business of reducing maternal deaths, especially amongst young mothers. Read in Danish and English: U-landsnyt, University of Copenhagen and UN.DK
FRANCE: Women Are the Face of Immigration
Le Monde on 9 May published an article on the feminization of immigration. According to UNFPA, women represent 49% of the more than 214 million international migrants worldwide. UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin and UNFPA Expert Ann Pawliczko are quoted in the piece.
DENMARK: Situation for Iraqi Females Deteriorating
U-landsnyt on 6 May published an article on women’s rights and gender equality in Iraq, highlighting that the situation for Iraqi women is deteriorating. The article refers to a survey by the government and the UNFPA, showing that domestic violence, honour killings, FGM and human trafficking threaten many Iraqi women and girls. Read in Danish: U-landsnyt
SWEDEN: Child Marriage Must End
On 1 May SvD Nyheter published an article on child marriages and UNFPA’s child marriage report. According to the article, millions of the world's brides are under 15, and UNFPA warns that there might be an exponential increase in child marriages in poor countries in the future. The article also mentions that UN Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal and child mortality cannot be achieved without ending child marriages. Read in Swedish: SvD Nyheter
DENMARK: Funding Needed for N. Korea
U-landsnyt on 29 April published an article on the need for humanitarian aid in North Korea, highlighting that five major UN organizations (WFP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO and UNFPA) still lack 3/4 of what they appealed in 2013 to support North Korea. The funding is urgent for their work to meet the most critical and life-saving needs of the people of North Korea. Read in English: U-landsnyt
DENMARK: Planning Cooperation with UN Organizations
U-landsnyt on 24 April published an interview with the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach about his visit to New York to discuss Danish cooperation with the major UN organizations. The Minister plans to allow for larger core contributions for UN organizations in return for more influence on their overall strategies. UNFPA is mentioned as one of the four UN agencies which is positive to Denmark’s plan. Read in Danish: U-landsnyt
UNITED KINGDOM: UNFPA’s Women’s Space Featured in Paper’s Photo Gallery
The Guardian on 22 April published a photo gallery of Jordan's Zaatari refugee camp which houses more than 100,000 Syrians who have fled the civil war. 3,000 of those registered are pregnant. The gallery included a photo of a UNFPA-run women's space which offers counselling and activities to support women deal with issues affecting them in the camps such as gender-based violence. Read in English: The Guardian
DENMARK: UNFPA DED Interviewed
U-landsnyt on 21 April published an interview with Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen during her visit to Copenhagen where she took part in the international donor meeting on the "Global Programme to Enhance Reproductive Health Commodity Security." The interview focused on Danish leadership style in a global organization such as UNFPA - and on UNFPA’s adaptation to a changing world. Read in Danish: U-landsnyt
UNITED KINGDOM: Global Health Is Key
The Lancet on 5 April published a piece on global health. One of the authors was UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin. “A proliferation of complex challenges to development, such as political conflict, economic austerity, and environmental degradation, all demand attention, but should not deflect from recognising that good health is central to advancing global prosperity. Development is about improving people's lives. A population cannot progress if it is burdened with ill-health. Good health is the foundation on which communities and nations can and do flourish. A healthy, educated population is one of the major engines of development-and one of its most universally valued outcomes. Whatever framework for development is agreed upon for the post-2015 era, people must be at the centre…Sustainable development is fundamentally a question of people's opportunity to influence their future, claim their rights, and voice their concerns. This is all the easier if a population is in good health. The post-2015 development agenda must recognise this and give due prominence to advancing global health. People are at the centre of development, but better still, let's make that healthy people.”
DENMARK: UNFPA DED Interviewed
Berlingske on 20 March published an interview of UNFPA's Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen on her management role in the UN. She discussed her views on leadership, management and reform initiatives within UNFPA.
DENMARK: Population Dynamics Discussed
P1 Orientering on 15 March reported that Kirsten Larsen interviewed, UNFPA's Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen. The focus of the interview was on population dynamics and trends in Africa and Europe. Listen in Danish: P1 Orientering
GERMANY: Innovative Partnership Reduces Cost Of Contraceptive Implant
Multiple media outlets on 27 February reported that a group of public and private sector partners has finalized an agreement that will make Jadelle®, an effective, long-acting, reversible contraceptive implant, available to more than 27 million women in the world's poorest countries at a more than 50 percent price reduction over the next six years. The Jadelle Access Program - developed and supported through a partnership between Bayer HealthCare AG, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden, and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - builds on momentum generated at the July 2012 London Summit on Family Planning. Read in English: Antara News, Itar-Tass
DENMARK: Lubricants Hard to Find in Developing Countries
U-landsnyt on 22 February published an article on the poor availability of lubricants in developing countries, even though it has been shown to lower HIV transmission by decreasing the risk of condom breakage. The lack of lubricants leads people to use alternative, sometimes harmful, substances during intercourse.
Acknowledging the importance of using personal lubricants with condoms, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) decided in 2012 to include water-based lubricants in the procurement list of commodities available to governmental and non-governmental clients in low and middle-income countries. However, demand remains low explains, Bidia Deperthes, a senior HIV adviser with UNFPA’s Comprehensive Condom Programming division. UNFPA spent more than 18 percent of its 2011 budget on male condoms, but less than 0.5 percent on personal lubricants, the article highlights. Read in English: U-landsnyt
SWITZERLAND: Global Leaders Meet to Discuss Health Statistics
Afriquejet.com on 15 February reported that a meeting, which discussed future possibilities of collaboration to improve current practices in health estimates, was attended by representatives from WHO, UNFPA and other UN agencies, the World Bank, development foundations, academic institutions and scientific journals. Read in English: Afriquejet.com
FINLAND: Fewer Girls Being Subjected to FGM/C
Kepa on 11 February, Maailma.net on 12 February and Kansan Uutiset on 13 February published articles on FGM/C in Kenya. They applied the new estimates based on the UNFPA and UNICEF press release, stating that fewer girls are being subjected to FGM/C. Read in Finnish: Kepa, Maailma.net and Kansan Uutiset
DENMARK: HRH Crown Princess Mary Visits Mozambique
The local TV station DR launched a video on 8 February, covering UNFPA Patron HRH Crown Princess Mary’s visit with UNFPA to Mozambique and her general engagement as an advocate of maternal health. The video was produced for Danmarks indsamlingen 2013, a popular national fundraising event that was broadcast countrywide. Watch the video in Danish: Kongehuset Read in Danish: Billedbladet Information Avisen Kongehuset
FINLAND: Fewer Girls Being Subjected to FGM/C
Yle, Verkkouutiset, UNWomen and Unicef in Finland on 6 February published articles based on a UNFPA and UNICEF press release about fewer girls being subjected to FGM/C, on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM/C. Read in Finnish: Yle Verkkouutiset UNWomen Unicef
DENMARK: Fewer Girls Being Subjected to FGM/C
U-landsnyt and several other media reported on 6 February on the new numbers released by UNFPA and UNICEF, showing that fewer girls are being subjected to FGM/C. The news was released on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM/C. Read in Danish: U-landsnyt, Kristelig Dagbland, Jyllands-Posten, Information, TV2
EUROPEAN UNION: EU Aid for Family Planning Sparks Debate as Budget Cuts Loom
The Guardian on 6 February reported that conservatives opposed to using EU development aid to finance family planning services in poor nations have succeeded in recent years in reducing support for reproductive health services, say health campaigners who are now bracing for further cuts. The EU's role in supporting reproductive health and birth control and financing the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) escalated a decade ago when George W Bush shifted money away from ideologically divisive reproductive and women's health programmes. Read in English: The Guardian
EUROPEAN UNION: Foreign RH Aid Sparks Debate
Euractiv.com on 4 February reported that according to health advocates, conservatives who oppose using EU development aid to finance family planning have succeeding in reducing support for reproductive health services in poorer nations. The EU’s role in supporting reproductive health and birth control and financing the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) escalated a decade ago when George W. Bush set out to revamp American aid priorities, shifting money away from ideologically divisive reproductive and women’s health programmes to the more popular fight against malaria and AIDS. Read in English: Euractiv.com
UNITED KINGDOM: Increasing Availability of Family Planning Would Yield Huge Benefits
The Financial Times on 1 February published a piece on the role of family planning in population development. The author highlighted UNFPA's 2012 State of the World Population report as one of a series keeping the issue alive on the political landscape. Dr. Osotimehin is quoted in the article emphasizing the importance of family planning, "The global human community has spoken. Family planning is central to nearly every aspect of development. Hundreds of millions of women, men and young people are counting on us to support their rights. We must not let them down.” Read in English: Financial Times
DENMARK: Maternal Health in Ethiopia
U-landsnyt on 31 January published an article about women’s complications and long-term disabilities during and after pregnancy and childbirth in Ethiopia, based on UNFPA estimates and facts. Read in Danish: U-landsnyt
NORWAY: World’s Population Ageing Rapidly
Bistandsaktuelt on 28 January used UNFPA’s Ageing in the 21st Century report in their article about the world’s population ageing. Read in Norwegian: Bistandsaktuelt
DENMARK: UNFPA Patron Visiting Mozambique
The Magazine Elle in their January edition published a 7-page article about UNFPA patron HRH Crown Princess Mary’s visit with UNFPA to Mozambique and her general engagement as an advocate of maternal health. Particularly, the article focuses on young people and women in Mozambique and the challenges and solutions of ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health for these vulnerable groups. Read a teaser in Danish: Elle
DENMARK: Unsafe Sex – The Largest Health Threat in Mozambique
Danish Journal of Nursing on 4 January published a 5-page background article on sexual and reproductive health challenges, such as maternal health, fistula, STI and HIV/AIDS, family planning needs and teenage pregnancies, in Mozambique. In addition, solutions and successful programmes were described, such as the work of UNFPA partner organizations AMODEFA, Associaçấo Coalizấo da Juventude Mozambiçana and the fistula patient ward in the central hospital in Beira. Read in Danish: Danish Journal of Nursing
DENMARK: Young People and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Mozambique
Vi Unge Youth Magazine on 3 January published a personal interview with UNFPA youth advocate Neusias Manuel from Mozambique on her story and life as a teenage mother.
IRELAND: Contraception for All in the Philippines
The Belfast Telegraph Online on 17 December reported on the landmark law passed in the Philippines that provides government funding for contraception and sex education classes. UNFPA data is mentioned in the article saying, “The United Nations said early this year that the bill would help reduce an alarming number of pregnancy-related deaths, prevent life-threatening abortions and slow the spread of AIDS. The UN Population Fund says 3.4 million pregnancies occur in the Philippines every year, half of which are unintended while a third are aborted, often in clandestine, unsafe and unsanitary procedures. It says 11 women die of pregnancy-related causes every day. Nearly 70% of women use no contraception at all.”
NORWAY: One Child Policy
Dagbladet on 11 December printed a reply by IERD Director Dianne Stewart to a statement published in the same newspaper on 17 November by Thomas Hylleland Eriksen, suggesting that the UN should adopt a One Child Policy. The reply highlighted UNFPA’s human rights-based approach – and the continued efforts of the UNFPA to meet the unmet need for family planning.
DENMARK: Fighting for the Right to a Safe Birth
Information on 27 November published a joint op-ed by Chief of the UNFPA Nordic Office Pernille Fenger and Executive Director of UNICEF Denmark Steen M. Andersen, following the broadcast of the “Why Poverty?” documentary entitled “Welcome to the World.” The op-ed states that every woman has the right to have a safe birth, regardless of where in the world she lives. Read: Information