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PRESS RELEASE

Addressing child marriage, and promoting women and girls well-being in Niger

How the country is overcoming its main challenges and developing successful community interventions that are being exported to other countries in the region.

 

Niamey, 21 September 2018- Under the patronage of the First Lady, Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou, the

Government of Niger, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) West and Central Regional Office organises on Wednesday 26 September 2018, a high-level side-event on the margins of the 73rd session of the General Assembly in New York.

This high-profile event on “Addressing Child Marriage, and Promoting Women and Girls

Well-Being in Niger” will bring together the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, the UNFPA Executive Director, Ministers, Religious and Traditional Leaders of Niger, as well as Representatives from Donor Countries. The session will highlight the best practices and community interventions that have enabled the country to improve the well-being of women and girls, leading to a reduction in the fertility rate (from 7.6 to 6 children per woman).

Indeed, the actions taken under the leadership of the President of Niger and the strong involvement and dedication of the First Lady, Dr. Lalla Malika Issoufou have reduced child marriage, improved enrollment and retention rates of girls in school and contraceptive prevalence for adolescent girls. The results achieved through the implementation of innovative community-based interventions such as husbands’ schools, safe spaces for adolescent girls, prevention, treatment and socio-economic reintegration of victims set an example.

Moreover the successful advocacy and awareness-raising activities on sexual and reproductive health issues, led by traditional leaders through their partnership with UNFPA were recognized by the 2016 United Nations Population Award.

That same year, the President of Niger gathered his peers, the African Union Heads of State to choose the demographic dividend as the central theme of their summit in 2017. The result of their discussions was a strong commitment and the adoption of a continental action plan to take full advantage of the demographic dividend.

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Date of the event:      Wednesday, 26 September 2018

Time:                           12:00 -2:30 PM

Location:                    Westin Hotel: Madison Ballroom, 212 East 42nd St, New York

Media Contact:          Souleymane Saddi, UNFPA Niger: saddi@unfpa.org                         Celine Adotevi, UNFPA WCARO: adotevi@unfpa.org