Trump administration halts money to UN population fund over abortion rules

The US state department said on Monday it was ending funding for the UN population fund (UNFPA) – the first concrete move in what activists describe as President Donald Trump’s “crusade against the health and rights of women and girls globally”. Following weeks of speculation, a letter to Bob Corker, the chairman of the US… Continue reading Trump administration halts money to UN population fund over abortion rules

Melinda Gates: Foreign aid cuts to contraceptives in Trump's budget hurt millions of women

Last week, just a few days after the White House proposed dramatic cuts to health and development aid, I headed to Indonesia. The timing was coincidental — the trip had been planned for months — but the reason I was going happened to be especially relevant to our country’s national debate. Indonesia has strategically used foreign aid to… Continue reading Melinda Gates: Foreign aid cuts to contraceptives in Trump's budget hurt millions of women

GFPA Sensitizes CBDs on Contraceptives, Reproductive Health

The Gambia Family Planning recently trained over forty of its volunteers known as Community Based Distributors (CBDs) on reproductive health care delivery. The CBDs are responsible of the distribution of contraceptives and provide counseling services on reproductive health in their communities. The three-day forum held in Pakalinding LRR discussed modern contraceptive methods, prevention of sexually… Continue reading GFPA Sensitizes CBDs on Contraceptives, Reproductive Health

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is key to achieving the SDGs

Consider this: As per a study by the World Bank, had the world addressed 90 percent of global unmet need for family planning by 2015, it would have reduced annual births by almost 28 million, consequently preventing 67,000 maternal deaths, 440,000 neonatal deaths, 473,000 child deaths and 564,000 stillbirths. Global data indicates that the greatest… Continue reading Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is key to achieving the SDGs

Nomugisha on her passion for sexual reproductive health and rights

22-year-old Hellen Nomugisha is the president of African Youth and Adolescent Network on Population and Development (AFIYAN), Rwandan Chapter, a network that brings together all-youth led organisations to implement focus areas like demographic dividend, entrepreneurship, gender-based violence, and forced marriages, among other things. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in public health. She spoke to Women… Continue reading Nomugisha on her passion for sexual reproductive health and rights

Uganda's Overburdened Midwives

The caseload for a midwife in the Kotido district of Karamoja, tucked in a remote part of north-eastern Uganda, strains belief: with just 18 midwives serving 9,600 mothers, according to district health officials, each midwife cares for at least 533 mothers a year. That’s more than triple the number recommended by the WHO (1 midwife/175… Continue reading Uganda's Overburdened Midwives

Q&A: UNFPA West Africa director on the security benefits of family planning

Family planning in West Africa has increased in popularity in recent years, as local religious leaders, community groups and health outreach programs have gotten behind the message. This multi-pronged approach is responsible for rising contraceptive use, according to the United Nations Population Fund West Africa Regional Director Mabingue Ngom. Places such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar… Continue reading Q&A: UNFPA West Africa director on the security benefits of family planning

Promoting the rights of girls and women

The situation for girls and women in Bangladesh is changing for the better, especially in terms of economic participation. The past decades have brought in significant improvements, including in terms of labour force participation or access to better sexual and reproductive health care, as evidenced by a drop in maternal mortality ratios. However for women… Continue reading Promoting the rights of girls and women