Podcasts about united nations population fund unfpa

Within hours of the new administration's return-to-office, disorder took over. A foreign aid freeze, a stop-work order, and the dismantling of key foreign aid institutions commenced almost immediately. Gayatri Patel, Senior Fellow with rePROs Fight Back, sits down to talk with us about glimmers of hope for protecting this foreign assistance funding and relevant agencies, as well as how we can prepare for the realistic, long-term impacts of these attacks.  The assault on foreign assistance funding by the new administration—which includes the blocking of U.S. foreign assistance funding, including for development programs, humanitarian programs, and multilateral assistance—has led to the loss of food services, antiviral medications, and vaccines, among other things. This has resulted in severe harm and death. In addition, the dismantling of institutions, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the loss of funding and support for multiple UN agencies, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will result in continued, long-term impacts on both U.S. and international programming. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03Support the showFollow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Bluesky: @reprosfightback.bsky.social Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

Aidan Grogan joins Josh to discuss Trump once again cutting off funds to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).  They discuss the economics and immorality of funding organizations like the UNFPA and some of the disastrous policies they have supported over the years.   Aidan's article in The Daily Wire:   https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-president-trump-must-defund-this-u-n-agency-once-again   Follow Aidan on X, and at The Daily Economy:   https://x.com/aidangrogan?s=21&t=S8JoQpY3m4n6bFrTo8tLrg https://thedailyeconomy.org/   Follow Aidan at Young Voices:   https://www.joinyv.org/talent/aidan-grogan   Links:   https://gml.bio.link/   YOUTUBE:   https://bit.ly/3UwsRiv   RUMBLE:   https://rumble.com/c/GML   Check out Martens Minute!   https://martensminute.podbean.com/   Follow Josh Martens on X:   https://twitter.com/joshmartens13   Join the private discord & chat during the show!   joingml.com   Bank on Yourself bankonyourself.com/gml   Get FACTOR Today! FACTORMEALS.com/gml50off   Good Morning Liberty is sponsored by BetterHelp! Rediscover your curiosity today by visiting Betterhelp.com/GML (Get 10% off your first month)     Protect your privacy and unlock the full potential of your streaming services with ExpressVPN. Get 3 more months absolutely FREE by using our link EXPRESSVPN.com/GML

Segment 1: Texas Abortions Drop to Near Zero In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Texas has experienced a dramatic decline in abortion procedures. Recent reports indicate a 99.5% decrease in abortions performed within the state, effectively bringing the number to near zero. This significant reduction reflects the impact of stringent state laws and the shifting judicial landscape on abortion access in Texas. Segment 2: Trump Withdraws from UN Abortion Referral Agency President Donald Trump has announced the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), an agency known for its involvement in global reproductive health and abortion referrals. This move aligns with the administration's commitment to pro-life policies and its stance against international organizations that promote or provide abortion services. Segment 3: Trump Halts Pentagon-Funded Abortion Travel In a recent policy shift, the Pentagon has ceased reimbursing service members for travel expenses related to obtaining abortions. This change reverses a previous policy that covered travel costs for military personnel seeking reproductive health care, including abortions, in states where such services are restricted. The decision underscores the administration's efforts to eliminate federal support for abortion-related services within the military. Get free alerts at http://PrayInJesusName.org © 2025, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes and www.PrayInJesusName.org

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. The agency advocates for, provides access to, and educates on sexual and reproductive health and rights services.  Rebecca Zerzan, editor with UNFPA, sits down to talk with us about UNFPA's 2024 state of world population report, Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope: Ending Inequalities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Rebecca also details the ways in which global misinformation impacts access to care.UNFPA is the world's largest procurer of donated contraception, which is distributed mostly in low- and middle-income countries. UNFPA also works closely with local organizations and agencies to facilitate access to medically accurate, culturally sensitive education. UNFPA's recent report looks back over the last three decades, when the scale of maternal death was unknown, rates of adolescent births were higher, and rates of women's contraception usage was halved, and discusses global progress. The report also researches misinformation around the world and how that impacts an individual's access to comprehensive care.Support the Show.Follow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

The number of women using modern contraception in sub-Saharan Africa has nearly doubled to 66 million, thanks to methods like hormonal implants and injections reaching even remote areas. Community health workers play a crucial role, often delivering contraceptive injections and birth control pills door-to-door. Global health agencies have expanded family planning services to reduce child mortality and improve the education of girls. Recently, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) called on low-income countries to increase funding for reproductive health, and 44 governments have committed to raising their contributions annually.Presenter: Mpho Lakaje. Guests: Felicia Issah and Dr. Claudette A. Diogo.

Across the world fertility rates are falling and for the first time Europe is experiencing a sustained population decline. The average fertility rate for the European Union is 1.53 live births per woman. In Italy the fertility rate has remained low for the last thirty years, with an average 1.3 births per woman.Some governments, who are concerned that not enough people are being born to keep their economies functioning in the long term are spending billions on incentives and policies to try and reverse the trend. But even in the Nordic countries, which are noted for some of the best family focused policies, these are proving ineffective against a markedly high drop in fertility rates over the last decade. Society's attitudes on when or whether to start a family are shifting, so does this mean that we need to change the way we approach the issue or even adapt to a future with fewer people? On this week's Inquiry, we're asking ‘Can Europe reverse its falling fertility rates?'Contributors: Anna Rotkirch, Research Director, Population Research Institute, The Family Federation of Finland, Helsinki Michael Herrmann, Senior Advisor on Economics and Demography, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Turkey Arnstein Aassve, Professor of Demography, Political Science Centre, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy Tomas Sobotka, Deputy Director, Vienna Institute of Demography, Austrian Academy of Sciences Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Jill Collins Journalism Researcher: Matt Toulson Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producers: Nicky Edwards and Toby James Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Image Credit: PA via BBC Images

This week on #TubtaNabadda, we talk about the damaging impact of female genital mutilation (FGM) on Somali women and girls and what must be done to ensure that no girl goes through this suffering. In the first segment of the programme, we hear from Dr. Maryan Abdullahi, from the Somali Gynaecology/Obstetrics Association and a Gender-Based Violence Consultant with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). She talks about the immediate health risks and complications faced by women and girls and how health professionals can help prevent FGM. Our second guest, Dr. Maryan Muse from Somali Community Concern, a UNFPA partner organisation, explains the socio-cultural context of FGM in Somalia and how her organisation engages with parents, traditional midwives, religious leaders and local authorities to end this practice. The programme is presented in Somali by Ali Gutale and Faiza Abdi. Share your views by calling in your favourite radio station during the show today: Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Risaala Media Corporation (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Waamo Radio (8.00 p.m.) Isnaay Radio (7.00 p.m.) Sanguuni Radio (8.00 p.m. Sunday) Beerlula Radio (8.30 p.m. Sunday) Arlaadi Radio (8.00 p.m. Sunday) Radio Daar-Dheer (8.30 p.m. Tuesday) Radio Jowhar (2.00 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Codka Caasimadda (2.00 p.m., 7.30 p.m) -------------------- Listen to the podcast of this and previous episodes of the show on: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ke/podcast/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace/id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ ------ To know more about the activities and latest updates from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/...

Social Impact Pioneer, Azfar Khan explores the complexities and transformative potential of living wages. A topic that seems straightforward but unravels into a myriad of intricate issues: Living wages. The concept is simple – pay people enough not just to survive, but to truly live. This approach has the power to address the root of numerous societal challenges, from domestic violence and health issues to education and overall happiness. Lifting individuals out of poverty can significantly diminish these problems. However, the reality of implementing living wages is far from simple. Questions arise about accurately measuring what constitutes a living wage, managing geographical variations, and adapting to the frequently changing cost of living. To unpack these complexities, we're joined by a distinguished expert in the field, Azfar Khan. Azfar, a Senior Economist at the Anker Research Institute, brings a wealth of experience from his over two decades at the International Labour Organization (ILO). His roles have included Head of Research for Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Deputy Director of the Socio-Economic Security Programme, and Migration Policy Specialist. With a PhD in Development Studies and Economics, Azfar has also taught at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands, and served as the Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)'s Global Programme of Training in Population and Development. Based in Geneva and Beirut, Azfar's work has focused on social protection, employment, poverty, labour migration, and the interplay of demographic and economic issues. Today, we're zeroing in on his insights into living wages – a topic that's more relevant than ever in our world of growing inequality and relative poverty. Links: Living Wage Methodology:https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/182380/1/978-1-78643-146-2.pdf On Qatar Labour Rights Issues: Why it's time to end kafala: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/feb/26/time-to-end-kafala Qatar criticised for promoting slave labour: https://english.alarabiya.net/sports/2013/09/26/Qatar-criticized-for-slave-labor-within-World-Cup-projects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_uA6bovq4 Universal Basic Income: https://basicincome.org/ What Is Basic Income and How Does It Support Wellbeing:https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/What_Basic_Income_How_Support_Well_Being UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/guidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf ILO Social Dialogue: https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/social-dialogue/2022/lang--en/index.htm And if you liked this podcast take a listen to: Bill and Audrey explore how female entrepreneurs are tackling climate change: https://businessfightspoverty.org/lifting-participation-female-entrepreneurs-tackle-climate-change/

Press conference by Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), on her findings on her recent mission to Chad where she met with gender-based violence and fistula survivors, as well as women leaders.The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Natalia Kanem, today (7 Nov) said, “despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, Chad now hosts more than a million refugees, including newly some half a million who fled the conflict in Sudan over the past six months. Most women and children.”Upon her return from a country visit to Chad last week, Kanem told journalists in New York that Chad “faces multiple challenges and a humanitarian emergency; instability, violence in neighbouring countries, and the disproportionate impact of a climate crisis - not of its own making - not to mention socio-economic and other development challenges.”She said, “many of the women are victims of gender-based violence in the countries that they fled, and or in the camps where they're now living.”“Everywhere in the world,” the UNFPA Executive Director said, “we are seeing women and girls forced to confront the worst of wars that they did not start. And what they need is peace, peace in their homes and communities.”She said, “events such as in the Middle East over the past month, and again, Sudan, which is at the six-month mark of that conflict, are showing us just how fragile peace is, how easily it can be shattered, and how devastating this is for the most vulnerable particularly women and children.”Kanem said UNFPA has assessed that “there are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, none able to access regular maternal health care at this moment, and 5,500 new-borns were born during the course of the last month.”She stressed that “if you have 180 women giving birth every day under these conditions, food, water, medicines, the access to caesarean sections and to care for the new-born, depend on fuel.”Fuel has not been delivered into Gaza since the conflict started and reserves are running extremely low.

“The decriminalization of sex work is the removal of criminal penalties for sex work (specifically, prostitution).[2] Sex work, the consensual provision of sexual services for money or goods,[3] is criminalized in most countries.[4] Decriminalization is distinct from legalization[5] (also known as the "regulationist" approach).[6] Advocates of decriminalization argue that removing the criminal sanctions surrounding sex work creates a safer environment for sex workers,[7] and that it helps fight sex trafficking.[8] Opponents of decriminalization argue that it will not prevent trafficking (or even increase trafficking[9]) and could put sex workers at greater risk.[10] Evidence demonstrates that decriminalization is an evidence-based harm reduction approach[11] Organizations including: the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (WHO), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the medical journal The Lancet have called on countries to decriminalize sex work in the global effort to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic and ensure sex workers' access to health services.[12][13][14][15] Almost all organisations run by sex workers themselves around the world favour the decriminalisation of sex work, and it tends to be their main goal.[16][17][18][5][19] However, a European Parliament resolution adopted on 26 February 2014, regarding sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality states that, "decriminalising the sex industry in general and making procuring legal is not a solution to keeping vulnerable women and under-age females safe from violence and exploitation, but has the opposite effect and puts them in danger of a higher level of violence, while at the same time encouraging prostitution markets – and thus the number of women and under-age females suffering abuse – to grow."[10] Two countries have decriminalized sex work. In June 2003, New Zealand became the first country to decriminalize sex work, with the passage of the Prostitution Reform Act.[20] The one remaining criminal law surrounding commercial sexual activities in New Zealand is a requirement to adopt safer sex practices.[21] Despite decriminalisation, its sex industry is still controversial, with some issues remaining.[22] In June 2022, Belgium became the first country in Europe and the second country in the world to decriminalize sex work.[23][24] Decriminalization is the removal of criminal penalties for sex work. In countries that decriminalize sex work, sex workers receive the same protection and recognition as workers in other industries.[2] The very first line of the World Charter for Prostitutes' Rights, written and adopted by the International Committee for Prostitutes' Rights on 15 February 1985 at the first World Whores Congress in Amsterdam, states: "Decriminalize all aspects of adult prostitution resulting from individual decision."[31]” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

In dieser Episode haben wir die Leiterin der MaLisa Stiftung Karin Heisecke zu Gast - jene Stiftung, die von Maria Furtwängler und ihrer Tochter Elisabeth gegründet wurde und deren Studien u.a. über die Repräsentation von Frauen in den Medien wir häufig in diesem Podcast erwähnten. Karin sitzt der Stiftung schon über 6 Jahre vor und seitdem hat sich viel getan, gerade was deren Bekanntheit angeht. Aber schon vor dieser Stiftungsarbeit hat sie sich für Frauenthemen engagiert. So war sie beispielsweise über 15 Jahre bei V-Day, der internationalen Bewegung gegen Gewalt gegen Frauen und Mädchen, aktiv, initiierte unter anderem die preisgekrönte Kampagne „Vergewaltigung kommt nicht in die Tüte“, Benefiz-Aufführungen der „Vagina Monologe“ in verschiedenen europäischen Städten und im Europaparlament, (Musik-) Videos und Flashmobs für One Billion Rising und so weiter... Karin hat in London an der LSE und in Lyon studiert und war bei internationalen Organisationen wie dem United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) und International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF-EN) tätig. Sie ist Expertin für den Europarat und als Dozentin berät und lehrt sie zu den Themen Geschlechtergerechtigkeit mit Schwerpunkt Beendigung von Gewalt gegen Frauen und Mädchen. (Quelle: malisastiftung.org)  Nicht nur ihr Lebenslauf hat uns echt beeindruckt. Es war vor allem diese Leidenschaft, mit der sie ihre Vorhaben angeht, immer die Vision von einer gewaltfreien Welt vor Augen, und die Haltung, dass „wir die Beendigung der Gewalt erreichen können“. Das hat uns Mut gemacht. Wie sie aufwuchs und welche Vorbilder sie als Kind hatte, hat sie uns natürlich auch erzählt. Aber hört selbst rein in diese Folge. Und schreibt uns gern, wie euch die Folge gefallen hat. Wenn ihr mehr zur Arbeit der MaLisa Stiftung erfahren wollt, schaut hier vorbei und tretet in Kontakt:https://www.facebook.com/malisastiftung/ https://twitter.com/malisastiftung https://www.instagram.com/malisa_stiftung/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/malisastiftungUnd wenn ihr zu uns Kontakt aufnehmen wollt: starkefrauenpodcast@gmail.comoder auf instagram: @starkefauenAlles weitere findet ihr auf linktr.ee/starkefrauenSpenden an @starkefrauenpodcast@gmail.comPhoto Credit: Sascha Radke#femaleempowerment #genderequality #vday #vaginamonologues #malisastiftung #furtwängler Möchtest Du Cathrin oder Kim auf einen Kaffee einladen und dafür die Episoden werbefrei hören? Dann klicke auf den folgenden Link: https://plus.acast.com/s/starke-frauen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gender inequality can lead to women and girl's having lower income and educational attainment and decreased autonomy and political power. Bridget Kelly, Director of Research for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at the Population Institute, sits down to talk with us about the report Connecting the Dots: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as Prerequisites for Global Gender Equality and Empowerment and how the empowerment and advancement of the rights of women and girls is explicitly tied to sexual and reproductive health and rights.According to Fòs Feminista, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) refers to comprehensive family planning and contraceptive services (including emergency contraception, maternal health, prevention and treatment of infertility, safe abortion and post-abortion care, prevention, care, and treatment, of STIs, HIV, and AIDS (and reproductive health cancers and infections) and the prevention and treatment of gender-based violence (including the elimination of harmful practices like female genital mutilation and cutting and child, early, and forced marriage). All of these elements must be met in order for comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare to be fully realized and for gender equality to be advanced worldwide.The empowerment and advancement of rights of women and girls is an agreed upon global sustainable development goal, and, as the largest funder and implementer of worldwide global health assistance the U.S. plays an incredibly important role in advancing these outcomes. Still, U.S. policymakers often fail to recognize that this goal is impacted by the accessibility of comprehensive SRHR. U.S. support for various components of the SRHR agenda flows through multiple budget and appropriation channels, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact current expenditure for SRHR. But, examining funding levels for the current family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) funding program shows that there should be a commitment of $1.74 billion to international family planning and reproductive health programming, including $116 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).FP/RH programming, for the last 13 years, has been flat funded at $608 million. The Biden administration's budget request, released in mid-March of 2023, shows an increase to roughly $657.5 million. While the current administration recognizes the need for FP/RH funding, it isn't enough to meet the need. Unfortunately, there was not a request to pull back the Helms amendment, which dictates that U.S. government foreign assistance funds cannot be used for “the performance of abortion as a method of family planning.”  LinksConnecting the Dots: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as Prerequisites for Global Gender Equality and EmpowermentSupport the showFollow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

[This show is produced in Somali only; English caption of the show context is down below] Todobaadkan #TubtaNabadda, waxaan ku xusaynaa bilowga ololaha 16-ka maalmood ee caalamiga ah ee ka dhanka tacadiyada jinsiga ku salaysan. Qaybta hore ee barnaamijka, waxaan ku waraysanaynaa Dr. Natalia Kanem, Agaasimaha Guud ee Hay'adda Dadweynaha u qaabilsan QM ee (UNFPA), oo dhawaan booqatay Soomaaliya. Dr. Kanem waxay ka hadlaysaa shaqada UNFPA ay gacanta uga gaysanayso ciribtirka noocyada tacadiga ah oo ay ku jiraan guursiga carruurta iyo gudniinka. Sidoo kale, waxaan waraysi la yeelanay Aamina Xaaji Cilmi, oo ah aas-aasaha Hay'adda SSWC oo ka shaqaysa badbaadinta gabdhaha iyo haweenka Soomaaliyeed ee tacadiyada loo gaysto. Waxay ka hadlaysaa adeegyada ay heli karaan haweenku, gaar ahaan kuwa ay soo barakicisay abaarta dalka ka jirta. Barnaamijka waxaa si wadajir ah u soo jeedinaya Cali Maxamed Gutale iyo Fatxi Maxamed Axmed. Na la wadaag fikirkaaga ku aadan waxa ay bulshadaadu ka qabanayso sidii loo ciribtiri lahaa tacadiga loo gaysto gabdhaha iyo haweenka ku nool deegaankaaga. Wac maanta idaacadda aad jeceshay si aad fikirkaaga u dhiibato: Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Waamo Radio (8.00 p.m.) Isnaay Radio (7.00 p.m.) Sanguuni Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Beerlula Radio (8.30 p.m. Axad) Arlaadi Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Radio Daar-Dheer (8.30 p.m. Talaado) Waxaad sidoo kale ka helikartaa Podcast qaybtaan iyo qaybaha kaleba: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../tubta-nabaada.../id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ ---------------------- Si aad wax badan uga ogaato wararka iyo warbixinada Howlgalka Kaalmaynta QM ee Soomaaliya, booqo: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/... Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com/unsom ----------------------- ----------------------- This week on #TubtaNabadda, we mark the beginning of the global campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. In the first part of the programme, we interview Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), who recently visited Somalia. Dr. Kanem speaks about the work of UNFPA in helping eradicate the various forms of violence against women and girls in Somalia, including female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. We also ask Amina Haji Elmi, known to many as Mama Amina, the founder of Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC), about the assistance and services that exist in Somalia for women and girls, especially those who were forced to leave their homes by the drought. The programme is presented in Somali by Ali Gutale and Fathi Mohamed. Share your experience about what your community is doing to end violence against women and girls in your area. Call in your favourite radio station during the show today.

Our guests today will be Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, along with Ib Petersen, the Deputy Director for Management at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. They will brief you on the Day of 8 Billion. According to the World Population Prospects 2022, the world population reached 8 billion people today.

[This show is produced in Somali only; English caption of the show context is down below] Todobaadkaan #TubtaNabadda, waxaan uga hadleynaa xaaladda dhalinyarada Soomaaliyeed. Waxaan wareysanay Faadumo Muxumed, isku duwaha barnaamijyada dhalinyarada ee hay'adda Q.M ee UNFPA ee Soomaaliya qaabilsan, oo ka hadleysa caqaabdaha dhalinyarada Soomaaliyeed haysta haddii ay noqon laheyd kala duwanaanshaha, sinaanta iyo wadajirka iyo sida wax looga qabanayo caqabadahaan. Faadumo ayaa ka warbixineysa howlaha Q.M ee ku wajahan dhalinyarada Soomaaliyeed. Martideedana labaad waa Max'ed Cismaan, agaasimaha guud ee wasaaradda dhalinyarada ee Koonfur Galbeed ee Soomaaliya oo ka sheekeyn doona muhiimadda maalgalinta dhalinyarada. Waxa uu nala wadaagayaa fikradihiisa iyo fariinta hoggaamiyasha caalamka iyo gudaha ee ku aadan horumarinta dhalinyarada. Barnaamijka waxaa daadihinaayo Cali Guutaale iyo Fadxi Max'ed. Nala wadaag aragtidaada adigoo wacaya idaacadda aad ugu jeceshahay wakhtiyadaan. Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgadud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Dhageyso Podcastiga barnaamijkaan iyo kuwii ka horeeyeyba. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ke/podcast/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace/id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ --------- Si aad wax badan uga wararka iyo warbixinada Howlgalka Kaalmaynta QM ee Soomaaliya ee Soomaaliya: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/... Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com/unsom ------ ------ This week on #TubtaNabadda, we talk about the situation of young Somalis. We interview Fatuma Muhumed, Youth and Innovation Programme Coordinator at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Somalia, about the challenges young Somalis face in terms of diversity, equality, and inclusion in various spheres of life and how these challenges are addressed. Ms. Muhumed gives an overview of the UN's work with young people in Somalia. Our second guest, Mohamed Osman Mohamed, is a young climate and peace activist. He is a director general at the South West State Ministry of Youth and Sports. Mr. Mohamed speaks about the priorities of investing in youth. He shares some of his ideas and messages for local and global leaders about nurturing young citizens, voters and future leaders. The programme is presented in Somali by Ali Gutale and Fathi Mohamed. Share your views by calling in your favourite radio station during the show today: Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye KNN (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgadud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Listen to the podcast of this and previous episodes of the show on: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ke/......... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/............ TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/...............---------

Highlights:- Secretary-General - Yemen- Lebanon- Sri Lanka Papua New Guinea - Climate/Sustainable Development Goals - World Food Programme Transport Training Centre SECRETARY-GENERAL The Secretary-General, António Guterres, will travel to Istanbul, Türkiye, this evening as part of his efforts to ensure full global access to Ukraine's food products and Russian food and fertilizer.YEMEN The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has intensified his engagements with the parties to support the implementation of all elements of the truce and to explore possibilities for an expanded and extended truce beyond 2 August. He said that an extended and expanded truce will increase the benefits to the Yemeni people. It will also provide a platform to build more confidence between the parties and start serious discussions on economic priorities, particularly on revenues and salaries, as well as security priorities, including a ceasefire. Ultimately, he added, the aim is to move toward a political settlement that comprehensively ends the conflict. He said that the truce has largely held for almost four months, marking the longest period of relative calm in more than seven years and a significant decrease in the number of civilian casualties. Both sides have nevertheless raised concerns about alleged violations and incidents across multiple frontlines.LEBANON Joanna Wronecka, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, briefed the Security Council in person this morning in closed consultations on the Secretary-General's latest report on that country. Meanwhile, a new report from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warns that, although Lebanon has managed to stave off a total collapse of its water infrastructure, water supply systems remain on the brink, putting the health of millions of people, particularly children, at risk. In the report, UNICEF says that prospects for a solution will remain bleak while the power crisis continues, as electricity shortages make it impossible to pump sufficient water, and in some cases cause pumping operations to shut down completely.SRI LANKA In Sri Lanka, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, is responding to the needs of millions of people impacted by the ongoing economic crisis. Ms. Singer-Hamdy also acknowledged the constitutional transfer of power to a new President. She called on all stakeholders to engage in broad and inclusive consultations to resolve the current economic crisis and the grievances of the people. She noted that a peaceful and stable Sri Lanka will require dialogue, full respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, including respect for the freedom of assembly and expression. The situation in the country continues to deteriorate, with over 70 per cent of households either losing their source of income or having their income reduced. In June, food inflation stood at 80 per cent. The Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan (HNP) launched in June, has reached 57,400 people – or 3.4 per cent of the targeted 1.7 million people. However, fuel shortages in Sri Lanka are a major operational constraint for the humanitarian response. Also, an estimated 960,000 people are in need of protection services. To meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) distributed 1,500 dignity and maternity kits to bridge the gap in commodities that are currently out of stock, and to ensure continued protection of survivors of gender-based violence

[This show is produced in Somali only; English caption of the show context is down below] Todobaadkan #TubtaNabadda, waxaan ku xusaynaa Maalinta Dadweynaha Adduunka. Qaybta hore ee barnaamijka waxaan ku maqli doontaan waraysi aan la yeelanay Dr. Ahmed Aweis, oo ku takhasusay Caafimaadka Hooyada iyo Dhallaanka iyo Taranka oo ka tirsan Hay'adda UNFPA. Wuxuu ka hadlayaa dhaqdhaqaaqa dadka iyo sida uu saamayn ugu reebo bulshooyinka nugul. Dr Aweis wuxuu si faahfaahsan u sharaxayaa sida dhaqdhaqaaqa dadka ee hadda jira u sababo xaalado caafimaad oo deg-deg ah iyo dadaalada wax looga qabanayo arrimahaasi. Wuxuu sidoo kale ka hadlayaa caafimaadka taranka dalka Soomaaliya iyo sida UNFPA iyo hay'adaha kale wax uga qabanayaan ka jawaabista caqabadahaas. Waxaan sidoo kale la hadlaynaa, Dr. Mohamed Abdirahman Mohamed, oo ka tirsan Hay'adda Maxaliga ah ee Organisation for Somalis Protection and Development (OSPAD). Hay'addiisu waxay daryeel caafimaad siisaa dumarka iyo gabdhaha. Barnaamijka waxaa idin soo jeedinaya Cali Maxamed Gutaale iyo Fatxi Maxamed Axmed. Waxaad nala wadaagi kartaa fikirkaaga adoo soo wacayaa idaacadda aad jeceshahay: Radio Mogadishu (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1:20 p.m., 7:30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m.) Waxaad sidoo kale ka helikartaa Podcast qaybtaan iyo qaybaha kaleba: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../tubta-nabaada.../id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/.../Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Si aad wax badan uga wararka iyo warbixinada Howlgalka Kaalmaynta QM ee Soomaaliya ee Soomaaliya: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/... Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com/unsom --------- This week on #TubtaNabadda, we mark World Population Day. In the first part of the programme, we interview Dr. Ahmed Aweis, Reproductive and Maternal Health Specialist with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), about people on the move in Somalia and the implications of the population movement on the lives of vulnerable communities. Dr. Aweis explains in detail how the present population movement leads to healthcare emergencies and how they are being addressed. He also talks about Somalia's reproductive health situation and how UNFPA and its Somali counterparts respond to these challenges. We also talk to Dr. Mohamed Abdirahman Mohamed, Health and Nutrition Officer at the Organization for Somalis Protection and Development (OSPAD). This local organisation provides essential health services to women and girls. The programme is presented in Somali by Ali Gutale and Fathi Mohamed. Share your views by calling in your favourite radio station during the show today at: Radio Mogadishu (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2:30 p.m., 8:30p.m) Radio Baidoa (1:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1:20 p.m., 7:30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m.)

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: EA and the United Nations, published by Lisa G on March 30, 2022 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Call to action for the EA community Take the role of the UN more into consideration in EA activities incl. discussions, workshops and other type of EA-events as well as impact research Seek positions in and around the UN and affiliated organizations and improve institutional decision-making at the UN and its partners Seek a seat at the table at multi-stakeholder discussions and processes to engage with the UN and its member states. Advocate for high impact policies at relevant UN events and processes for instance in the run up to the 2023 Summit of the Future. EA research into funding of the UN and affiliated organizations as well as how EA recommended charities (can) work with the UN given the clear distinguished mandate, reputation and footprint the UN has in global human rights, peace and security and development issues. The EA community seems to largely neglect an enormous system that has had significant impact in the past and present in preventing and solving worldwide issues in the areas of human rights, peace and security and development. These are the three pillars of the United Nations, the one and only intergovernmental organization where 193 member states come together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions to benefit all of humanity. It was founded in 1945 after the Second World War with the main purpose at the time to prevent another World War in the future. It has been successful in this manner, as the data on deaths in conflict where state governments are a participant of has tremendously declined since 1946. Over the years it has developed into an organization with many specialized agencies, funds and programmes. They do not all start with the UN in their names like United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) or United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The World Bank, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are also all part of the UN system. As a unique system with organizations that head global responses to global issues, it is remarkable that there is so little attention to this system in the EA community. If you look at where EA started from, looking into very focused, measurable impactful interventions it makes sense that this system was overlooked. It is big, slow and bureaucratic and for sure the UN has not always delivered sustainable and impactful results. In some cases it may have also caused harm in their interventions despite good intentions. However, it is too big and too important to neglect. Moreover, there is only one UN, where all member states come together to negotiate global solutions to global problems. It has a unique mandate and reputation and a scale and reach that no other non-profit organization could come close to. Bill knows Bill Gates and Melinda French, who in the EA community have a certain level of respect due to comprehensive approaches and research for interventions in achieving global development goals through the Gates foundation, acknowledge the importance of the UN system. Did you know the Gates Foundation is the second-largest contributor to the WHO? As of September 2021, it had invested nearly $780 million in its programs. Germany, the biggest contributor, had contributed more than $1.2 billion, while the United States donated $730 million. Bill also realized there is an opportunity for his company in engaging with the UN. In 2021 Microsoft opened a UN Affairs Office in New York. The first private company to do so and it has been widely engaged in collaborations with different UN organizations specifically focused on delivering international digital transformation (e.g. providing accessible, equitable, safe internet for all). The Secretary-General of the United Nations develop...

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Secretary-General is pleased to reappoint Dr. Natalia Kanem of Panama as Executive Director of UNFPA for a second term of four years. The Secretary-General notes his appreciation of UNFPA's powerful advocacy to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda, to address population dynamics, and to empower youth, as well as UNFPA's focus on accountability and effective management, and its commitment to delivering transformative results in both development and humanitarian settings to end the unmet need for contraception, end preventable maternal deaths and end gender-based violence in all its forms. The Secretary-General looks forward to furthering this work, together with UNFPA and partners, and with urgency towards the 2030 deadline. Dr. Kanem brings more than 30 years of strategic leadership experience in the fields of preventive medicine, public and reproductive health, social justice and philanthropy to the role. SECRETARY-GENERALOn Saturday, the Secretary-General will be going to Barbados to take part in the opening ceremony of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, known as UNCTAD15. The opening ceremony will take place in Bridgetown, on 4 October. In his remarks, he is expected to underscore the challenges of tackling debt distress and the need to get down to the business of a sustainable and equitable recovery for all. He is also expected to highlight the need to re-ignite the engines of trade and investment, and ensure they benefit the poorest countries, as well as the need to build a global green economy. Also on 4 October, the Secretary-General will speak with reporters in a press conference with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and UNCTAD Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan. On Sunday, the Secretary-General will take part in a series of activities with Government officials, including a visit to climate impacted areas in Barbados. AFGHANISTAN In September the World Food Programme provided three million people with food assistance, double the number of people reached in August. This included 1.5 million women and girls, and 1.5 million men and boys. So far this year, 8.4 million people have received food assistance in the country's 34 provinces. WFP aims to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to 14 million people by the end of the year. With winter approaching, humanitarian partners are working to get food and other non-food items prepositioned at strategic locations. You will recall that on 13 September, donors and Member States pledged more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development aid for Afghanistan. Since then, only $135 million has been received in support of the Afghanistan Flash Appeal seeking to help 11 million people before the end of year. We urge donors to fast-track the disbursement of funds to address the rapidly growing humanitarian needs that are set to worsen in winter. There is a risk of pipeline breaks in October and November in the provision of food, agriculture, health, nutrition, protection, education and water and sanitation hygiene assistance, due to funding shortfalls and import and transport delays. SYRIA Moving to Syria, we are concerned about the dire situation of civilians in the northwest where hostilities, an economic crisis and COVID have made the situation of already vulnerable people even more difficult. Hostilities continued to be reported across northwest Syria throughout September, with intensified airstrikes along the frontlines in southern Idlib and almost daily reports of violence. We are also extremely concerned about the spike in COVID-19 cases, with over 1,000 people per day testing positive in northwest Syria. There has been a 170 per cent increase in the total number of positive cases in the last month alone. Limited equipment to test for COVID-19 is a problem, on top of a severe oxygen shortage. In addition, less than 3 per cent of the population in the northwest is vaccinated. With 1.6 million people living in crowded camp settings the spread of COVID-19 will further tax an overburdened system. In addition, 97 per cent of the population in northwest Syria live in extreme poverty depending on humanitarian aid for food, medicine and other basic services. In Ottawa, federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu provides an update on the federal response to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic. She discusses federal support for provinces and territories as they deal with the fourth wave. The minister faces questions about requests from Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia for the federal government to send doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, in the hopes that will increase vaccine uptake among individuals who have concerns about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that use mRNA technology. Hajdu is also asked about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to spend the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on vacation in Tofino, B.C., with his family.

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Sarah McCool, who is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. In this podcast, Dr. McCool discusses various projects she has completed, causes she is passionate about, her extensive background and experience, and much more! Dr. McCool has worked in global health in various capacities since 2010. She most recently worked to support a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)- funded child protection/anti-trafficking project in Haiti. She has worked extensively in the area of tuberculosis surveillance and prevention in Asia. She completed a USAID Research & Development fellowship in Indonesia and consulted for a Fortune 500 company on methods for reducing tuberculosis incidence among garment factory workers in South Asia. Dr. McCool was previously the Executive Director of a Haiti-based NGO that provides primary care to the rural southwest population. She has lived in Singapore, Indonesia and Haiti and has studied and learned—to varying degrees—French, Haitian Creole, Bahasa Indonesia and BCS (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian) as a U.S. Department of State Critical Languages Scholar. She continues to work with the Good Birth Network, a global network of birthing homes in more than 30 countries. She also initiated and currently facilitates the partnership between Georgia State University and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Her research interests include collective action among global health stakeholders and maternal health. She is currently researching collective action between global health organizational stakeholders during the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic. ----- Hope you all enjoyed this one; See you on Wednesday for a new episode! In the meantime, keep up to date with my podcast and involvement (Lately, I've been speaking at conferences!): https://linktr.ee/theraredisorderpodcast Shivani Vyas☺ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theraredisorderpodcast/support

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Secretary-General is pleased to reappoint Dr. Natalia Kanem of Panama as Executive Director of UNFPA for a second term of four years. The Secretary-General notes his appreciation of UNFPA's powerful advocacy to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda, to address population dynamics, and to empower youth, as well as UNFPA's focus on accountability and effective management, and its commitment to delivering transformative results in both development and humanitarian settings to end the unmet need for contraception, end preventable maternal deaths and end gender-based violence in all its forms. The Secretary-General looks forward to furthering this work, together with UNFPA and partners, and with urgency towards the 2030 deadline. Dr. Kanem brings more than 30 years of strategic leadership experience in the fields of preventive medicine, public and reproductive health, social justice and philanthropy to the role. SECRETARY-GENERALOn Saturday, the Secretary-General will be going to Barbados to take part in the opening ceremony of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, known as UNCTAD15. The opening ceremony will take place in Bridgetown, on 4 October. In his remarks, he is expected to underscore the challenges of tackling debt distress and the need to get down to the business of a sustainable and equitable recovery for all. He is also expected to highlight the need to re-ignite the engines of trade and investment, and ensure they benefit the poorest countries, as well as the need to build a global green economy. Also on 4 October, the Secretary-General will speak with reporters in a press conference with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and UNCTAD Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan. On Sunday, the Secretary-General will take part in a series of activities with Government officials, including a visit to climate impacted areas in Barbados. AFGHANISTAN In September the World Food Programme provided three million people with food assistance, double the number of people reached in August. This included 1.5 million women and girls, and 1.5 million men and boys. So far this year, 8.4 million people have received food assistance in the country's 34 provinces. WFP aims to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to 14 million people by the end of the year. With winter approaching, humanitarian partners are working to get food and other non-food items prepositioned at strategic locations. You will recall that on 13 September, donors and Member States pledged more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development aid for Afghanistan. Since then, only $135 million has been received in support of the Afghanistan Flash Appeal seeking to help 11 million people before the end of year. We urge donors to fast-track the disbursement of funds to address the rapidly growing humanitarian needs that are set to worsen in winter. There is a risk of pipeline breaks in October and November in the provision of food, agriculture, health, nutrition, protection, education and water and sanitation hygiene assistance, due to funding shortfalls and import and transport delays. SYRIA Moving to Syria, we are concerned about the dire situation of civilians in the northwest where hostilities, an economic crisis and COVID have made the situation of already vulnerable people even more difficult. Hostilities continued to be reported across northwest Syria throughout September, with intensified airstrikes along the frontlines in southern Idlib and almost daily reports of violence. We are also extremely concerned about the spike in COVID-19 cases, with over 1,000 people per day testing positive in northwest Syria. There has been a 170 per cent increase in the total number of positive cases in the last month alone. Limited equipment to test for COVID-19 is a problem, on top of a severe oxygen shortage. In addition, less than 3 per cent of the population in the northwest is vaccinated. With 1.6 million people living in crowded camp settings the spread of COVID-19 will further tax an overburdened system. In addition, 97 per cent of the population in northwest Syria live in extreme poverty depending on humanitarian aid for food, medicine and other basic services.

On Episode 5, I chat with three representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Botswana. Agathe Lawson is the UNFPA Officer-in-Charge for South Africa and Country Director for the eSwatini and Botswana Country Offices. Mareledi Segotso is the Head of Office, UNFPA Botswana Country Office, and Priscilla Rabasimane is Communications Analyst also at UNFPA Botswana. Together they tell us about their Drones for Health initiative which is delivering life-saving medical products to underserved communities in Botswana. If you have any thoughts on this episode, or recommendations of African health innovators that you'd like me to host on the show, please reach out to me directly on Twitter @DrSam_Oti, email: sam.oti@alumni.harvard.edu or via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-oji-oti. Please note that The MedxTek Africa Podcast is distinct from Dr. Oti's role as a Senior Program Specialist at Canada's International Development Research Centre. The information provided in this podcast is not medical advice, nor should it be construed or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The MedxTek Africa Podcast, its production team, guests and partners assume no liability for the application of the podcast's content.

Join Lori and Helen Krug von Nidda as they discuss about receiving support and paying it forward to the community. Helen does a lot of work around career transitioning for women. She shares the impact of providing support to women who don't have access to the tools and resources for their education. Stay tuned!   Here are the things to expect in this episode: What inspired Helen to focus on causes related to women and education? Having peer-to-peer coaching groups for the women she works with. What impact does it have on them? The value of collaborating and building connections with various communities. And much more!   About Helen:   A contagiously optimistic coach, trainer, and speaker, I have advanced countless career paths for individuals at the United Nations, as well as in the nonprofit and private sectors. I was the HR Strategic Partner at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and formerly Director of Talent Management at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). I have also worked for UNICEF, the United Nations, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and, in the private sector, for Reuters and Sotheby's.   I have lived and travelled internationally — from London to Lome, Oslo to Ouagadougou, Niamey to New York.   Fluent in French, I am a graduate of Smith College, hold a Masters in Human Resources Management, and am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Adult Learning at Columbia University.   I am an accredited and certified Coach, and a licensed Career Counsellor. Most importantly, when I am not immersed in coaching and training, you might find me engaged in either of my two favourite pastimes: running along the Hudson River or indulging in a hot chocolate.   Connect with Helen! Website: https://www.with-helen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/with_helen_nyc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkrugvonnidda/   Connect with Lori Kranczer! Website: https://www.everydayplannedgiving.com/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/positiveimpactphilanthropy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorikranczer/

We discuss how to stand out as a quality interviewee, how (and what) to negotiate, what to look for in quality employee candidates, and more. Our guest is Holly White, the Human Resources Specialist dedicated to Career Development & Mobility with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) based in New York City and who was raised on a Standardbred breeding farm and competes in the Adult Jumpers. Hang around until the end of the show for some bonus content about how Holly found a way to ride horses in Africa.Equestrian B2B Guests and Links Episode 2:Hosts:  Jennifer Wood and Jennifer Connor of EQ BusinesswomenFeatured Image Credit: Holly WhiteSponsor:  EQUITANA USAGuest: Holly White, Instagram, TwitterAdditional Support Provided by: The Plaid Horse Magazine, Chronicle of the HorseSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=87421)

We discuss how to stand out as a quality interviewee, how (and what) to negotiate, what to look for in quality employee candidates, and more. Our guest is Holly White, the Human Resources Specialist dedicated to Career Development & Mobility with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) based in New York City and who was raised on a Standardbred breeding farm and competes in the Adult Jumpers. Hang around until the end of the show for some bonus content about how Holly found a way to ride horses in Africa.Equestrian B2B Guests and Links Episode 2:Hosts:  Jennifer Wood and Jennifer Connor of EQ BusinesswomenFeatured Image Credit: Holly WhiteSponsor:  EQUITANA USAGuest: Holly White, Instagram, TwitterAdditional Support Provided by: The Plaid Horse Magazine, Chronicle of the Horse

We have just passed 100 days of the Biden-Harris Administration! Christina Krysinski, Counsel and Senior Manager of Policy at NARAL Pro-Choice America sits down to talk with us about the reproductive health and rights victories achieved during this period, as well as what the administration can do more of to ensure health and rights for all. In his second week in office, President Biden ended the Trump administration's expanded global gag rule (also known as the Mexico City policy), and also began the process of restoring funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in order to restore access to sexual and reproductive health care around the world. The President also withdrew U.S. support for the Trump administration's anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ Geneva Consensus Declaration, sending the message that the United States will no longer be a barrier to progress for reproductive freedom. Lastly, during the release of the State Department's 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. will resume reporting on reproductive rights.  Domestically, the Biden administration has also made significant strides in expanding and protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights. This month, the FDA announced that it will stop enforcing a restriction that would force people accessing medication abortion pills to do so in-person at a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office for the duration of the pandemic. The administration proposed the ending of the Trump administration's “domestic gag rule,” which prevented reproductive health providers that are funded by the nation's Title X program from providing transparent and equitable care. The White House also officially established the Gender Policy Council, which will work to advance gender equity and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The administration has also appointed officials that are committed to protecting reproductive health and rights both globally and domestically, including the Vice President Kamala Harris, The Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine (the first openly transgender, Senate-confirmed federal official), United States Assistant Attorney General Venita Gupta, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power. While the Biden administration has accomplished much for reproductive health and rights, there is still so much more that needs to be done. Many organizations and groups continue to call for an increased sense of urgency from the administration. President Biden and other federal officials have yet to say the word “abortion” in a public address; doing so recognizes the reality of the abortion access crisis and contributes to de-stigmatization on a national level. It's also vital that the budget robustly funds reproductive health programs and ceases denial-of-care policies and funding bans. The administration can continue to fill important positions—including the FDA commissioner, the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, Director for the HHS' Office of Civil Rights, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs at HHS, and more. Support the show (https://www.reprosfightback.com/take-action#donate)

In a year that has presented enormous challenges, it is even more gratifying to present evidence that strengthens the importance of midwives as providers of essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and the impact they can have on maternal and neonatal mortality and stillbirths, said Anneka Knutsson, Chief of the SRH Branch at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in this week’s Friday Podcast. Knutsson spoke at a recent Wilson Center event, in partnership with UNFPA and Johnson & Johnson, to launch the Impact of Midwives study conducted by UNFPA, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and the World Health Organization (WHO) and published in The Lancet Global Health. This research will provide an updated, evidenced-based, and detailed analysis of the present progress and future challenges to deliver effective coverage and quality of midwifery services, said Knutsson. The study will enable stronger policy dialogue within countries and strengthen existing sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health services, said Knutsson. This study also adds confidence to findings from the 2014 Lancet paper on midwifery, said Andrea Nove, Technical Director of Novametrics and lead author. The study examined four scenarios of coverage for midwife-delivered interventions: 1) a modest 10 percent scale up every five years, 2) a substantial 25 percent scale up in the same time period, 3) universal coverage, and 4) a decrease in coverage. The data showed that a substantial 25 percent scale up by 2035 could avert 40 percent of maternal and newborn deaths and one-quarter of stillbirths. That would translate to 2.2 million fewer deaths by 2035, said Nove. The study specifically focuses on “midwife-delivered interventions,” said Nove. Such interventions must directly affect mortality or nutritional status, be listed in the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescent’s Health, and be able to be delivered in entirety by a midwife trained to ICM standards, said Nove. “Nobody is suggesting here that midwives should be left alone to deliver these interventions. But we did want to highlight the fact that they are an occupation group, which can have a massive impact,” said Nove. Franka Cadée, President of ICM, could barely contain her excitement about the study. “And I’m excited mainly, because this paper supports and confirms growing scientific evidence that should be celebrated by every woman and every midwife worldwide. And of course, if we care about healthy families and the healthy future generation, it should be celebrated by everyone worldwide,” she said. “Midwifery has a long-term impact. And this paper shows that.” In addition to decreased maternal deaths, neonatal deaths, and stillbirths, greater access to midwifery care worldwide could improve many other aspects of reproductive health. For example, in many high-income countries, midwives provide contraceptive care, abortion services, antenatal care, breastfeeding care, cervical cancer screening, and immunizations, said Cadée, and these types of care should be accessible through midwives globally. “So what it boils down to,” she said, “is that women worldwide should have access to midwives, who’ve been educated to the standards of the International Confederation of Midwives, and who are supported by a team and that magic word, the enabling environment.” “If we implement this evidence, the world would look brighter,” said Cadée. “Not just for midwives and women, but for humanity.” Sources: The Lancet Global Health, World Health Organization.

PCUSA guest host Kim Lewis and VOA Reporter Ayen Bior examine the factors that continue to promote the practice of female genital mutilation/circumcision and efforts to end it, with Justine Coulson, acting Regional Director for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in East and Southern Africa. A recently released report from UNFPA finds that an estimated 4.1 million young women and girls are presently at risk of FGM and two million more could undergo FGM in the next decade as COVID-19 disrupts global efforts to end the practice.

Do you feel like you want to make a change in your life, but you don’t know what you want instead? Or maybe you know the sort of change you want but you have no idea how to get there? It is so easy to let uncertainty and even fear to hold us back from getting to the career or life that we really want. This can be even more challenging if you have spent years supporting your family as you move around the world! "Surround yourself with people who hand you back your dreams with encouragement"In this week’s episode, coach and trainer Helen Krug von Nidda is sharing the five steps you need to take to get from knowing you want to change to actually making that change a reality. These steps will help you figure out what you do want, how to get there and prepare you for the transformation! We’re also talking about overcoming fear, the importance of patience and why you need a positive mindset more than ever! Helen Krug von Nidda is a Coach and trainer with over 20 years of global experience in human resources. She focused her career on people development in the international human rights sector. Helen has extensive coaching, training and facilitation experience in both French and English on four continents. She is the founder of Rise Collective, a boutique coaching and training practice for women. She was the HR Strategic Partner at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly Director of Talent Management at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She also worked for UNICEF, the United Nations, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and, in the private sector, for Reuters and Sotheby’s. She is a graduate of Smith College and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Adult Learning at Columbia University. A British/Swiss national, she resides in New York with her husband. Two of her favorite pastimes include eating dark chocolate and running along the Hudson River within approved social distance parameters https://tandem-nomads.ck.page/eb1f0c01dc () What You Will LearnWhat the signs are that it is time for you to change How to know what you really want and find purpose How to get over your fear and find the courage to take the leap Resources and inspiration:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZCW3ZA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 (Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team) https://www.viacharacter.org/ (The Via Strengths test) https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/ (The 4 tendencies quiz) https://www.tonyrobbins.com/disc/ (DISC behavior assessment by Tony Robbins) https://worldofwork.io/2019/04/intentional-change-theory/#:~:text=4%20min%20read,and%20organizations%20reach%20their%20goals. (Dr Boyatzis’ 5 steps to change) Find Helen Onlinehttp://www.with-helen.com/ (Website) https://www.instagram.com/with_helen_nyc/ (Instagram) Share Your Love! Do you enjoy listening to this podcast show? Leave on your review on your favorite app – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tandem-nomads-empowering-expat-partners-tips-inspiration/id1056812170?mt=2 (iTunes), http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/tandem-nomads (Stitcher), https://open.spotify.com/show/4mWuNrYGnmK6yuVHt1CEwx?si=QqgfqVkESK2IEnnlzwA9hg (Spotify), https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly90YW5kZW1ub21hZHMuY29tL2ZlZWQvcG9kY2FzdA%3D%3D (Google Play)   Share Your Thoughts! Connect with the Tandem Nomads community and share your comments! https://www.facebook.com/groups/tandemnomads/ (CLICK HERE)

Globally, Indigenous women experience worse maternal health outcomes than non-Indigenous women. In the United States, the risk of maternal death is twice as high for Native women than for white women, while in Australia the risk is four and a half times higher. This week’s edition of Friday Podcasts highlights remarks from a recent Wilson Center event with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Confederation of Midwives about Indigenous midwifery. “The decline of Indigenous midwifery really happened through the outlawing and the denigration of Indigenous midwifery, and was an attack on our Indigenous knowledge systems, our ways of being, our ceremonies and our practices,” said Claire Dion Fletcher, an Indigenous Potawatomi-Lenape Registered Midwife and co-chair of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives. “The control of Indigenous women through the, at times, violent control of our reproduction was and continues to be a tool of colonization.” “In the 19th century with the medicalization of birth, there was a decline of midwifery in Canada, almost to the point of non-existence,” said Fletcher. Yet Indigenous women still wanted to have traditional births according to their customs and knowledge. “The Inuit women in Nunavik wanted Inuit midwives,” she said. “They wanted to give birth in their communities with their families surrounded by their knowledge and their teachings.” To this day, the resulting community-driven Inuit midwifery program has some of the “best health outcomes in the world,” said Fletcher. Similarly, colonization played a key role in the decline of Indigenous midwifery in New Zealand, said Nicole Pihema, Māori Registered Midwife and President of the New Zealand College of Midwives. In New Zealand in 1840, British colonizers and Māori leaders signed a document intended to ensure that the British would not interfere in Māori life, said Pihema. But instead, the colonial government continued to interfere in Māori life by passing harmful legislation including the Tohunga Suppression Act of 1907, which led to the desecration of Māori midwifery practices. However, there is a resurgence within Māori midwifery to try to rediscover traditional practices, said Pihema. This resurgence requires a commitment to normalizing inclusive language, “because you can teach cultural competency all you want, but you're never [going to] get it unless you know the language,” she said. “In Mexico, midwifery has existed even before we were colonized by the Europeans,” said Ofelia Pérez Ruiz (through a translator), an Indigenous Registered Midwife and spokesperson for the Chiapas Nich Ixim Movement of Traditional Midwives. “And traditional midwifery in Mexico has been here despite criminalization and going through exclusion policies,” she said. In Mexico, Indigenous midwives are not included in conversations about maternal health. “They [doctors and health institutions] don't take us into account as part of the maternal and neonatal care,” said Pérez Ruiz. “We want to have a relationship with health institutions, but based on respect. We wanted to work along and hand in hand with the doctors using those skills and knowledge of all of us as a team … so that indigenous women will receive a timely care and respectful care during their pregnancy, birth, and after birth.”

Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is working to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. “You really see… how important it is to have peace in the home and the ability for girl child in particular to be able to scream at the top of her lungs if she feels that something wrong is happening to her.”

"International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) has connected with the majority of its 143 midwives’ associations in all regions of the world and accounts from the midwives working on the front lines during this pandemic are harrowing, unveiling an increase in gender discrimination, domestic violence, human rights abuses, the over-medicalization of birth and fear and misinformation, all culminating in growing distress among women and midwives. These findings are echoed by World Health Organization staff in country offices globally.    As a result of communication with midwives, ICM released a Joint Statement with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) calling for governments, decision makers, donors and health institutions to ensure the protection of midwives, women and newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic." 

American SutraGuest: Duncan Ryuken Williams, Director, USC School of ReligionBuddhist Japanese-Americans incarcerated during WWII made makeshift alters and used the light of the army search lights to continue practicing their religion. Their resilience inspires us to preserve the American value of religious freedom. Religious CollaborationGuest: Azza Karam, Secretary General, Religions for Peace; former Senior Advisor on Culture and Social Development, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); former Coordinator/Chair, United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and DevelopmentIn the past, religion wasn't regarded as a crucial part of peacekeeping. Actually, religious organization working for peace predate our modern cooperative efforts like the United Nations. They've been the "first responders" in times of crisis on the local and international levels. 

What is inherent in the word “universal,” is that it is for all women, said Anneka Knutsson, Chief of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), at a recent Wilson Center event on the importance of midwives in achieving universal health coverage. To achieve the ambitious sustainable development goal of universal health coverage, one challenge is to make sure that the women most marginalized aren’t left behind. Elena Ateva, Advocacy Manager at White Ribbon Alliance, said that in order to best support women, we need to ask them what they really need and want. And what women want differs from woman to woman depending on her beliefs, customs, gender identity, sexuality, etc. “We cannot determine policies for somebody else. We need people to be part of those processes,” said Ateva. Midwives can play an important role in representing the needs of a community and reaching women traditional health facilities have often excluded. But, we have to be careful when thinking midwives, alone, are the answer, said Franka Cadée, President of the International Confederation of Midwives. “Midwives are part of a system.” Cadée said that while people are happy to have midwives working with patients, midwives need to also be at the decision-making table, at the ministry, and working with politicians. In the United Kingdom, a midwife serves as a medical officer to advise the Minister of Health on midwifery. To have a midwife in this high-level position allows midwives the opportunity to represent the communities they serve, as well as support the midwifery profession. One way to elevate the status of midwifery and enact concrete change is through midwifery education. Since the early 1990’s, Sweden has created 13 midwifery education programs that go beyond clinical skills. Marie Klingberg-Allvin, Midwife and Professor in Global Sexual and Reproductive Health at Dalarna University said it is important to have strong academic environments which include research. Understanding and contributing to research gives midwives the ability to reflect, to read new science, to be part of developing new standard guidelines in the clinic, and to be vocal and take lead for their own profession, she said. Globally, women make up the vast majority of midwives and gender discrimination plays a role in the limited number of midwives in decision-making positions. To close the gender gap, Klingberg-Allvin said, “you need to have gender-intentional governments to start with” and you also need to have a government that gives status to sexual reproductive health and rights. Cadée said, “Midwives don’t need to be empowered; midwives are very, very powerful. Midwives simply need to be listened to.”

Welcome to a special International Women's Day episode featuring women from around the world, brought together by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). From Tunisia, to Ireland, Panama, the United States, Sri Lanka, Denmark, and Australia—Rose Reid interviews women tackling the globe's greatest humanitarian issues: Aya Chebbi, the African Union Special Envoy on Youth Senator Alice Mary Higgins and Senator Colette Kelleher of Ireland, who campaigned to amend Ireland's constitution to legalize abortion in 2018  Dr. Natalia Kanem, the Executive Director of UNFPA Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Patron of UNFPA All interviews were recorded in front of a live audience at the 2019 Nairobi Summit, where more than 10,000 people gathered to demand, and work towards, gender equality.  Special thanks to Julius Okoti and his team, for engineering & recording live in Nairobi, Kenya. And a very special thanks to Etienne Leue, Mandira Paul, and the entire team at UNFPA for making these interviews possible. More on Instagram @thewomenpod @RoseReid - Every episode of The Women, host Rose Reid profiles one person who has journeyed to do the extraordinary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast Mr Matt Jackson, director of the UK, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) talks about current health inequalities that still face girls and women on a global scale. He revists the vision and programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) set out in 1994 in Cairo, Egypt and ongoing efforts by his organisation to complete the ICPD unfinished business. He explains how the UNFPA uses arts and humanities to reach out to international audience in its attempt to raise awareness of women's rights and implement change. This interview was recorded in June 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Conference_on_Population_and_Development

  Tsovinar Harutyunyan, the Assistant Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) spoke to EVN Report about the demographic situation in Armenia, low fertility and high infertility rates, gender-based abortions and much more.

In this conversation, Melissa Pitotti talks with Kate Gilmore the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. They talk about wellbeing in the UN system and other humanitarian and human rights work, about how Kate sees the connections between personal and political and some tangible ways she has tried, in her role, to do things differently. Kate Gilmore was appointed United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights on 1st December 2015. She brings to the position diverse and longstanding experience in strategic leadership and human rights advocacy with the United Nations, government and non-government organisations. Prior to joining OHCHR, Kate was Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for Programmes with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Previously she was National Director of Amnesty International Australia and then Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International. Kate started her career as a social worker and government policy officer in Australia. She helped establish Australia’s first Centre Against Sexual Assault at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital and her work over a number of years focused on prevention of violence against women. In Australia, she was granted honorary appointments to provincial and national public policy and law reform processes, including membership of the country’s first National Committee on Violence Against Women. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New England and a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Melbourne, and has pursued post-graduate studies in social work and community development in Australia. Melissa Pitotti has been working in humanitarian affairs since 2003 wearing different hats: donor, UN member state, multilateral, NGO coalition, independent. She's also a mom, bookworm, and burnout-survivor. She is currently collaborating with Mary Ann on a project being incubated by CHS alliance looking at building care and compassion in aid and in humanitarian work. This episode is part of a special series of conversations entitled – Embodying Change: A series of conversations on care and compassion in Aid and Development curated by Mary Ann Clements and Melissa Pitotti and in partnership with CHS Alliance, Global Fund for Community Foundations, Healing Solidarity and Change Making Women Podcast. This episode was produced and edited by Ziada Abeid and the music was written and performed by Eleanor Brown who you can find at eleanorbrownmusic.com Find out more about ‘Cultivating Care and Compassion in Aid and Development’ an initiative being incubated by CHS Alliance here: https://www.chsalliance.org/get-support/article/compassionate-organisations/

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a step forward in their recognition of systemic issues like inequality, peace and justice. But some critics say there has been a lack of concrete action by states or little space for accountability by citizens. Why is it so important that the UK engages with the SDGs on the international stage? How can NGOs ensure that the government upholds the goals’ central principle that the most marginalised shouldn't be left behind? Bond's Kit Dorey talks to Diane Kingston OBE, senior advisor on policy and government affairs at Frontline AIDS, Matt Jackson, UK director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Keya Khandaker, accountability advocate for the SDGs and PhD student.

“We need to mainstream young people into the decision-making process,” said Senator Nikoli Edwards, age 25, of Trinidad and Tobago at a recent Wilson Center event on engaging youth to protect their sexual and reproductive health and rights. “Where it’s not a matter of, ‘let’s bring a young person into the room as an afterthought,’ but it should be written that a young person has to be a part of the discussion or has to be contributing in a significant way.” As a young person, “your expectations have been heightened, you have been encouraged to do all of this great work, but where are the institutions, where are the support mechanisms, where are the opportunities?” asked Edwards. The panelists unanimously agreed that high expectations for young people to serve and agitate for change have not been met with endless opportunities to engage. Although many organizations have celebrated young peoples’ input, they still need to be more intentional about how they engage youth, said Cate Lane, Senior Technical Adviser at Pathfinder. Oftentimes, “we engage young people, we solicit their input, we ask them to tell us what they need and what they want,” she said. “We rev them up. They’re excited, and then we’re like, ‘thanks so much for your input,’ now we’re going to go implement our project.” “When we are talking about youth participation, we should think about the diversity of young people,” said Dr. Ilya Zhukov, Global Focal Point for Comprehensive Sexuality Education at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Bringing key populations of young people, including LGBTQ+, HIV positive, and disabled youth, to name a few, together with decision-makers can ensure that health programming is informed by those it is meant to serve. “When your opinion and your thoughts are influencing real documents that will then influence your education—that is a real thing,” said Lada Nuzhna, Youth Representative at Teenergizer!. Exchanges between young people and organizations working to promote adolescent health and rights should be a two-way street. “We need to see this not as a one-way street of us soliciting information from them, but as an opportunity for them to develop skills, networks, to gain access to things that they wouldn’t normally gain access to,” said Lane. Adolescence is a dynamic period in life that can pose challenges to the longevity of youth project engagement. “If we engage young people, we can’t expect that they are going to be with us for the next five years because they are in school, they’re working, getting married,” said Lane. However, mechanisms such as youth advisory boards and councils could enable organizations to consult periodically with young people to ensure programs are responsive to their needs. Experts agreed that a system to bring youth into the conversation on a regular basis is necessary to cultivate meaningful youth engagement, in addition to allocating resources—financial and human—to ensure that adolescent sexual and reproductive health programming is effective and responsive. “We should bring young people to the table and involve them not only in discussion but in the development and implementation of programs,” said Zhukov. Governments, leaders of organizations and policymakers should continue to think about how to meaningfully engage with young people as partners. “I think it’s something we have to tackle,” said Lane. “There has to be this sense of partnership, where we meet each other in the middle.”

Worldwide, around 225 million women who want to avoid pregnancy do not have access to safe family planning methods. What does this mean for health and development, and what can policymakers do about it? This question was one of the several topics discussed when Policy Forum’s Martyn Pearce and Crawford School’s Sharon Bessell sat down for a chat with Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Babatunde Osotimehin. On this week’s Policy Forum Pod, we discuss the role of the UNFPA in promoting women’s empowerment, and why there’s still a long way to go when it comes to gender equality. To listen to Dr Osotimehin's speech to Crawford School of Public Policy, as mentioned in the podcast, click here: https://soundcloud.com/anucrawford/tackling-global-health-by-dr-babatunde-osotimehin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The fourth global Women Deliver conference in May brought nearly 6,000 experts and advocates to Copenhagen to address the health and rights and women and girls, including a small group of young midwives who attended a symposium beforehand. “I went in a little bit skeptical,” says Alix Bacon, president of the Midwives Association of British Columbia and one of 32 women under 35 who received a scholarship to attend, in this week’s podcast. “And I came home a changed woman and a believer.” Bacon said the ability to escape the immediacy of the day-to-day clinical requirements of midwifery and think about how they can grow as a network was invaluable. “There isn't an advocacy component to your midwifery training,” she says, “And this is where the midwifery symposium really shined. It addressed our weaknesses, regulation, research, policy.” In the context of regulation and public funding, midwifery in Canada is relatively new, Bacon says, which puts them in a unique position among wealthy countries to partner with developing countries facing some of the same challenges. They have developed a 30-year roadmap from “zero to functional that we can share with our partners,” for example, she says. One such partnership is with South Sudan and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The “twinning” project matches midwives together with the aim of increasing capacity, “supporting a strengthened, enabled environment for gender-sensitive maternity care.” Partnerships like this are crucial for the world’s newest country, which has among the world’s highest maternal, newborn, and child mortality rates. “Only 15 percent of births are attended by a skilled birth attendant,” Bacon says. The latest renewed violence and mass displacement has “had wide-reaching effects on our ability to implement this project,” she says. They had to pull Canadian staff out of the country in June, but Bacon still believes in the promise of the partnership. “It's about positioning midwives as experts in maternity care,” she says. “And when you're positioned as an expert and supported by the ideal partner, you grab the attention of policymakers locally.” With a global standard of education and the proper policies in place, “midwives can meet 87 percent of the needs of women and children,” says Bacon. “We also happen to be terribly cost-effective, which really makes us a best buy when it comes to maternal newborn child health.” Alix Bacon spoke at the Wilson Center on July 18, 2016. Friday Podcasts are also available for download on iTunes and Google Play. Sources: Al Jazeera, Global Affairs Canada.

Guest: Azza KaramSenior Advisor on Culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)Interviewer: Mark SimmonsAzza Karam, Senior Advisor on Culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is at #WHSummit to coordinate a special session on “Religious Engagement”. Prior to the session, she reflects on the contributions of faith based organizations in humanitarian action.PHAP members and others share their thoughts on the World Humanitarian Summit process in Istanbul, 22-24 May 2016.The association is present in Istanbul to help amplify practitioner voices and bring clarity to the Summit process for those unable to participate on-site.PHAP is the individual-based professional association bringing together all parts of the humanitarian sector. With a shared vision that human life and dignity are safeguarded in the face of humanitarian crises, the association’s mission is to empower capable and informed professionals to transform humanitarian action.

Guest: Azza KaramSenior Advisor on Culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)Interviewer: Mark SimmonsAzza Karam, Senior Advisor on Culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is at #WHSummit to coordinate a special session on “Religious Engagement”. Prior to the session, she reflects on the contributions of faith based organizations in humanitarian action.PHAP members and others share their thoughts on the World Humanitarian Summit process in Istanbul, 22-24 May 2016.The association is present in Istanbul to help amplify practitioner voices and bring clarity to the Summit process for those unable to participate on-site.PHAP is the individual-based professional association bringing together all parts of the humanitarian sector. With a shared vision that human life and dignity are safeguarded in the face of humanitarian crises, the association’s mission is to empower capable and informed professionals to transform humanitarian action.

Jun 25, 2015 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1Jj68fz. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. “UNFPA Kenya is working hard with all partners to support the Government of Kenya and the First Lady of Kenya’s clarion call, ‘no woman should die giving life,’” explains UNFPA Representative to Kenya, Siddharth (Sid) Chatterjee. Chatterjee explains the charge he received when he took on his new role just over a year ago, “The Executive Director of UNFPA Undersecretary General Dr Babatunde Osotimehin’s marching orders to me when taking up my role as UNFPA Kenya was, ‘support the Government to bring to an end the unacceptably high maternal deaths, end FGM and child marraige. Change the game.’” The context, Chatterjee notes, is sobering. “Sexual and gender based violence [SGBV] continues to be a challenge in Kenya. According to Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) in 2014, 41% of women have experienced violence. This is unacceptable. The Government of Kenya has made efforts to prevent and respond to violence by adopting policies and enacting legislation such as the sexual offences Act (2007), the FGM Act (2011) and the National Policy on Prevention and Response to GBV. A comprehensive response to SGBV needs to be multi-sectoral. These will include community education/dialogue, media campaign, advocacy forums with policy makers/legislators as well as psychosocial support, clinical, legal and security services.” In the face of such a daunting challenge, Chatterjee strikes a distinctly optimistic tone, “Our world is home to 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24, and Dr Babatunde Osotimehin the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says, ‘Never before have there been so many young people. Never again is there likely to be such potential for economic and social progress.’” “Kenya has one of the most youthful populations in the world with about 60 percent of the population aged below 24 years. A demographic dividend and through the countering violent extremism summit Kneya is going to host, she can change the narrative, by putting the spotlight on youth,” Chatterjee adds. Chatterjee notes that achieving the country’s goals for women will require government leadership and collaboration among all development partners to create an integrated, long-term program that actively involves young people. ”Let’s put youth at the center of the narrative. Kenya can serve as a model for transmuting its youth into a demographic dividend which other nations can emulate.” Please consider whether a friend or colleague might benefit from this piece and, if so, share it.

Ruth Watson Lubic is a nurse-midwife and applied anthropologist. Known for her work in developing the freestanding birth center model, Dr. Lubic has received honorary degrees and special recognitions from eight universities and is the first nurse to have received a MacArthur Fellowship. She served for two years as an Expert Consultant to the Assistant Secretary for Health in Washington. She has published widely, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences? Institute of Medicine and in 2001 received its prestigious Lienhard Award. The American Academy of Nursing, also in 2001, named her a Living Legend. The American College of Nurse-Midwives honored her with its highest recognition, the Hattie Hemschemeyer Award. She has been made an Honorary Member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society. In 2006, the American Public Health Association conferred its Martha May Eliot Award. At an international Strengthening Midwifery Symposium held in Washington in 2010, and sponsored by eight international organizations, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the International Confederation of Midwives, Dr. Lubic was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.