Today in Geneva, the United Nations Population Fund () unveils its flagship report "". The report calls for global action to dismantle unjust and discriminatory structures that hinder millions from realizing their full rights and potential. Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, along with a panel of experts, will delve into the report's compelling evidence on the systemic and intersectional discrimination impacting women's health and well-being.
The war in Gaza has led to a dire humanitarian crisis, affecting the lives of 2.2 million people. More than 1.7 million Palestinians are living in makeshift tents or temporary shelters amidst heaps of waste, aggravating a looming environmental and public health crisis. Solid waste management has become an urgent need in Gaza that requires immediate support and solutions. Â鶹´«Ã½ Development Programme () in collaboration with , has launched an initiative to support solid waste management in the southern governorates of Rafah, Khan Yunis, and the Middle Area, helping to mitigate environmental hazards and address public health concerns in southern Gaza communities.
Chioma Uzoma, a 26-year-old Nigerian, is leading a team of six women to empower young women to take charge of their health. The team is one of the 14 winners of the female-led , an initiative of the United Nations Population Fund () to support innovations in sexual and reproductive health for young people worldwide. Gender inequality in health research, data collection, and investment results in women spending 25% more of their lives in debilitating illness than men do, costing the global economy an estimated $1 trillion. However, women innovators are stepping up to bridge the gap and save lives. Despite this, UNFPA estimates that $222 billion would need to be invested in the health and rights of women and girls by 2030, a goal that funding is not currently on track to meet.
Over the past 13 years, conflict has ravaged Northwest Syria, leaving scars on both the land and its people. In February 2023, after earthquakes dealt a further blow, crippling vital water infrastructure, residents of camps in the northwest faced prolonged water shortages due to damage sustained by a crucial elevated water tank. However, the International Organization for Migration () managed to reconstruct three elevated water tanks, restoring access to safe and clean water for over 67,500 earthquake-affected communities.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () promotes a approach that values the interdependence of health between people, animals, plants and the environment. It calls on different sectors to work together to promote well-being and address threats to health and ecosystems. This approach also drives agrifood system transformation by addressing threats such as pests and diseases in animals, plants, and forests that reduce productivity, endanger biodiversity and threaten livelihoods. Some of the issues that FAO addresses by utilizing a One Health approach include , , zoonotic diseases, and.
Millions of people worldwide face threats to their right to health due to diseases, disasters, and conflicts. At least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitution. Yet countries are not passing and putting into practice laws to ensure their populations are entitled to access health services. This underpins the fact that at least 4.5 billion people — more than half of the world’s population — were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021. To address these types of challenges, the theme for is 'My health, my right’.
Why is dengue fever spreading to places where it has not been before? What are the symptoms and treatments? What about vaccines? Dr. Raman Velayudhan, of the Department of gives us the keys to the disease's spread and treatments in a new episode of the Science in 5 podcast.
Mali's central and northern regions have been plagued by in recent years. Terrorist groups have taken control of many remote villages, causing mass displacement, while maternal mortality rates are up to 35 times higher than in developed countries. Access to maternal health services is nearly impossible. In this complicated scenario, the United Nations Population Fund () is equipping the maternity ward at Sominé Dolo Hospital in the Mopti region. UNFPA partner sends mobile health units to rural areas of Mopti to reach women and girls with essential services and transport critical cases to health centers.
Women and girls were disproportionately affected by the devastating floods that hit Pakistan in 2022. Nisha, a seven-year-old girl from the Mirpurkhas District of Sindh, had to endure months of displacement and walk several miles every day to access clean water after her home and latrines were destroyed. Sampa, a 55-year-old widow, fell ill after drinking contaminated water during the floods. With the responsibility of caring for her ten-year-old child, she struggled to fetch water daily in the scorching heat. The efforts by the International Organization for Migration ) to construct latrines, handwashing stations, and lead-line hand pumps in Nisha and Sampa's villages brought relief and improved access to clean water and hygiene services.
Regina's journey exemplifies how economic empowerment can serve as a powerful tool in reducing HIV stigma and discrimination within communities.
The , which began in 2023, is nearing its end. It has been an invaluable opportunity to spotlight the nutritional and health benefits of millets, as well as their adaptability to challenging growing conditions, including climate change and minimal inputs. Consequently, they offer an ideal solution for nations seeking to diminish dependence on imported grains. If you're intrigued by the diversity and culinary potential of millets, with enticing recipes from various regions, cuisines and cooking skills. Join the organized by FAO.
Climate change is causing more frequent and intense heat waves worldwide, which negatively impact the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, particularly children. and partners urge governments to take urgent action and ensure that frontline health workers are trained to recognize and treat heat stress, health facilities are equipped to cool heat victims, and healthcare systems are connected to meteorological services in high-heat regions. Additionally, health facilities should have cool public spaces for people to safely seek refuge during heat waves.
takes swift action in response to critical medical shortages in Northern Gaza, with Representative Dominic Allen emphasizing the urgent situation.
Â鶹´«Ã½ recognizes the importance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings. Governments and international organizations should invest in conditions that support happiness by upholding human rights and integrating well-being and environmental dimensions into their policy frameworks. Â鶹´«Ã½ invites everyone to celebrate the International Day of Happiness (20 March). The same day sees the release of the World Happiness Report 2024, centered around the theme of happiness for the young, the old, and everyone in between.
Two years into the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, a hospital near the front line is saving the most vulnerable citizens – babies born into war – with state-of-the-art incubators that can transport newborns between facilities and into bomb shelters at the sound of air-raid sirens. At the Zaporizhzhia Regional Perinatal Centre, the new incubators – provided with support from and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation – are equipped to maintain optimal temperature, humidity and oxygen levels, allowing babies to be moved safely. Despite the challenges, UNFPA and its partners continue to support Ukraine to strengthen the delivery of maternal health and gender-based violence prevention and response services, reaching more than 879,000 women, girls, men and boys with such services in 2023.