Access essential information about UNFPA you need while on the move. Is there something you can't find? Let us know!
The State of World Population 2015 - Shelter from the Storm: A transformative agenda for women and girls in a crisis-prone world
UNFPA's flagship report, The State of World Population 2015, was released on 3 December 2015.
Essential Health Needs of Women Often Neglected in Assistance after Natural Disasters, Conflicts
UNFPA's State of World Population 2015 sets new agenda for humanitarian response to step up support for millions left behind
UNITED NATIONS, New York, 3 December 2015 --The health needs of women and adolescents are too often neglected in humanitarian response to natural disasters and conflicts around the world, even though whether women and girls live or die in a crisis often depends on access to basic sexual and reproductive health services like midwives and HIV prevention, says a new report released today by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
The State of World Population 2015, "Shelter from the Storm", shows that of the 100 million people in need of humanitarian assistance around the world today, about 26 million are women and adolescent girls in their childbearing years.
Sexual and reproductive health services critical to the health and survival of women and adolescents are scarcest at the time they are needed most, The State of World Population says. Three fifths of maternal deaths today occur in countries that are considered fragile because of conflict or disaster. Pregnancy and childbirth kill 507 women every day in these settings.
"The health and rights of women and adolescents should not be treated like an afterthought in humanitarian response," says UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin. "For the pregnant woman who is about to deliver, or the adolescent girl who survived sexual violence, life-saving services are as vital as water, food and shelter."
Read the complete press release: Essential Health Needs of Women Often Neglected in Assistance after Natural Disasters, Conflicts
Visit: SWOP 2015 website to access the report.
Download: #SWP2015 Social Media Packs (English, French, Spanish) (password required)
Download: SWOP 2015 PowerPoint presentation for use at launches and other advocacy events (password required)
Download: SWOP 2015 Key messages:
Arabic | English | French | Russian | Spanish
(password required)
Developing countries with large youth populations could see their economies soar, provided they invest heavily in young people’s education and health and protect their rights, according to The State of World Population 2014, published today by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
The potential economic gains would be realized through a “demographic dividend,” which can occur when a county’s working age population is larger than the population that is dependent and younger, the report shows.
But to maximize the dividend, countries must ensure their young working-age populations are equipped to seize opportunities for jobs and other income-earning possibilities.
“Today’s record 1.8 billion young people present an enormous opportunity to transform the future,” says UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin. “Young people are the innovators, creators, builders and leaders of the future. But they can transform the future only if they have skills, health, decision-making, and real choices in life,” he adds.
- See more at: http://www.unfpa.org/public/home/news/pid/18635#sthash.wS9RUtGR.dpufThe Executive Board approved the UNFPA Strategic Plan (2014-2017) at its Second Regular Session in September 2013.
The plan reaffirms the strategic direction set out in the midterm review of the 2008-2013 strategic plan, as represented by the “bull’s eye”, and presents a set of organizational changes that support its attainment. These reforms include a strengthened results framework, a new business model and improvements to the funding arrangements. The document also covers the resource requirements (including the resource allocation system) and the approach to operationalizing the strategic plan. Together, these elements constitute a package that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of UNFPA, enabling the organization to have a more significant impact on the lives of women, adolescents, and young people around the world.
Access the Strategic Plan and annexes here:
On 12 February at 10:00 EST, the report Framework of Actions for the follow up to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014 (pdf file) was officially released by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin at a press conference at the UN Secretariat in New York.
The event was webcast live and a recording is available here.
The global report as well as the UN Secretary-General's report and other related documents including fact sheets are available here:
http://www.unfpa.org/public/home/sitemap/ICPDReport
http://icpdbeyond2014.org/
Internal information materials are available on the ICPD Platform for Engagement on myUNFPA. Included is the document 'Questions, Answers and UNFPA Positions', which provides guidance on how to respond to common questions - and also clarifies UNFPA's positions. Note! The Q&A is an internal document for staff only.
Empowering People to Ensure a Sustainable Future for All is the advocacy platform launched by UNFPA for the post-2015 development framework.
Together with partners, UNFPA is working to have the principles of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), including its emphasis on individuals’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, reflected prominently in any future development mandate.
“There can be no sustainable development without moving sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights forward. That is why the unfinished agenda of the MDGs, especially the health-related goals, and particularly target 5B on universal access to reproductive health, requires that we accelerate our efforts …and advocate together to ensure that they are reflected prominently in the post-2015 development framework.”
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
UNFPA proposals for the future development framework make the case for specifically including sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, adolescents and youth needs and rights, and non-discrimination, as critical elements of the post- 2015 development agenda.
UNFPA proposals for the post-2015 development framework
UNFPA proposes that the following goals, targets and indicators be included in the post-2015 agenda framework:
1. A stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as mainstreaming gender equality throughout the framework.
2. A target under a health goal: Universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
3. A stand-alone goal on investment in the capabilities of adolescents and youth for sustainable development.
“The outcome of (the Post-2015 negotiations in New York), together with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda for financing for development, represents a significant moment in the history of development. The world has come together to agree on a comprehensive way forward that builds on the lessons learned from previous efforts to eradicate poverty, ensure individual rights, agency and well-being, and promote gender equality and women's empowerment, while maintaining sustained and inclusive economic growth and protecting the environment for current and future generations.
Resources
Find resources linking the work of UNFPA with the SDGs in the SDG Resource Documentsfolder. These include:
UNFPA Executive Director’s Message on Post-2015
More general resources on the Sustainable Development Agenda developed by the UN – including Q&A, fact sheets, talking points and a glossary – are also available.
All resource documents are for INTERNAL USE ONLY!
Find key messages on high-profile events and initiatives and on our technical areas of work. The messages are for use by all staff in their advocacy and communication activities and products.
Just added! Topline messages 2015
Here are some good quotes from UNFPA senior managers and other high-profile partners that can be used in your advocacy and communication.
"Failing to invest in our youth is a false economy."
– United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
"No human development can be achieved as long as women and girls continue to suffer from violence or live in fear of it."
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
"We are determining that youth should be at the centre of
development, but they are not in the room. Bring them to the
conversation!"
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
"You can have all of the laws in the land but if men don't accept that women are equal, nothing is going to happen."
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
“Adolescents are subjected to our double standards, and for girls in particular, the consequences are grave: They are not old enough to drive, yet old enough to be a parent? They are not old enough to vote, yet old enough to be married? Old enough to be pregnant, yet not old enough to have full access to sexuality education or contraceptives? Let us be clear: There can be no room for motherhood in childhood and we cannot continue to deprive young people of their rights to sexual and reproductive health.”
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
“To achieve genuine development, we must transform our approach with and for young people, and in particular young women and girls. Young people are drivers of change. They must have the choices and tools to fully participate in development, realize their potential, and contribute to their societies.”
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
“The ability to have children by choice, not by chance, transforms lives, communities and countries. Yet hundreds of millions of women cannot exercise this basic human right. By ensuring that the rights of women and girls are respected and that they have access to reproductive health information and services, including family planning, UNFPA helps deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted.”
– UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
"Reproductive rights are a human right and an accelerator of development and gender equity. UNFPA is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to essential and life-saving reproductive health services. And to delivering a world where every child birth is safe and no woman dies giving life."
– UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Management), Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen
"More than 40 per cent of the world’s population are under 25, they are shaping both humanity’s future, and its present. UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency working to promote the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of young people. We are committed to delivering a world where young people have the information, services and supplies they need to make a safe, healthy and fulfilling transition from adolescence to adulthood and are better able to realize their full potential."
– UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme), Kate Gilmore
"Tomorrow is today aged 10 and it's a girl. Change her life; change the world."
– UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme), Kate Gilmore
"Sexual violence is a socially transmitted infection."
– UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme), Kate Gilmore
You have successfully pitched a story, or a journalist has called you, and you have agreed to talk. Now it’s time for the interview!
In a way, every interaction with a journalist is an interview. On the telephone, in a hallway, even in social situations, you should be careful when responding to questions.
However, there are several kinds of formal interviews, and preparation is the key to success in all of them. One golden rule is to get as much advance information as possible:
A crisis is the perception of an unpredictable event that threatens important expectancies of stakeholders and can seriously impact the performance and reputation of any organization and generate negative outcomes. Even though a crisis often hits unexpectedly, it is possible for UNFPA to prepare for a crisis situation. The planning and preparation of a crisis can make the difference between coming out on top or going under.
UNFPA has produced a crisis guide to help staff to deal with crisis communication situations. Click here to access the UNFPA Reputational Crisis Guide (last updated 4 April 2013).
The UNFPA Reputational Crisis Guide provides guidance on:
