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Sexual & Reproductive Health

Country Representative

Country Representative

Dr. Nigina Abaszada

UNFPA Resident Representative in the Republic of Uzbekistan and Country Director for Tajikistan abaszade@unfpa.org

Country Representative
Visit of the UNFPA Regional Director for West and Central Africa to the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar

News

Visit of the UNFPA Regional Director for West and Central Africa to the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar

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Dr. Thierno Baldé, the Coordinator of the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar and the UNFPA Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Sennen Hounton

As part of the United Nations inter-agency partnership, the UNFPA Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Sennen Hounton, was welcomed by Dr. Thierno Baldé, the Coordinator of the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar.

Builders of Peace: Youth Leading Actions for Change in West and Central Africa

Photos

Builders of Peace: Youth Leading Actions for Change in West and Central Africa

We are proud to present our special photo essay featuring the dynamic and inspiring contributions of young women and men from across West and Central Africa. Through these powerful images, we invite you to witness the stories of youth who are leading the way in building a culture of peace, resilience, and prosperity in their communities.

Each photograph captures a moment of action, determination, and hope—showcasing the role of young people in addressing key challenges such as climate action, good governance, social cohesion, health service delivery, and the fight against gender-based violence. From candid portraits to snapshots of youth-led initiatives, these images reflect the energy, passion, and leadership that are shaping a peaceful future for our region.

Samson, as project coordinator for the 'Northwest Climate Peace Hubs,' is empowering vulnerable communities by training 500 youth in conflict prevention, climate action, and early response.

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The security situation in the Sahel has led to significant population displacement in northern Benin. To support these displaced communities, UNFPA, in partnership with the Beninese Red Cross, is providing sexual and reproductive health services and distributing dignity and childbirth kits in the Atacora regionThedelivery of these essential services and resources to the affected populations, ensuring their access to critical health support amidst the ongoing crisis.
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Young peacebuilders Rafiu Lawal and Anthonia Lawal of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation in Nigeria are spearheading humanitarian efforts to support frontline communities. Since 2018, they have delivered aid to over 2,000 elderly, widows, and daily earners facing challenges in accessing food and essential items in remote areas.

A Youth Advisory Panel Member, collaborating with a member of the Barkatown Disability is Not an Inability group in a campaign against drug abuse.

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Salissou shares the outcomes of community consultations on the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda in N'Djamena, Chad, ahead of the 4th Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum. The gathering brought together young leaders, government officials, and partners to exchange insights and recommendations for advancing regional peace and security. The event is supported by the African Union, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, UNFPA, Plan International, and Local Youth Corner- Cameroon.
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Young men and women led the co-creation of the Terms of Reference for Liberia's Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Coalition. Through a participatory process with civil society, youth-led organisations, government, and the UN, they shaped the coalition's goals, structure, and roles, ensuring it reflected a collective vision and empowered youth as key leaders of the YPS agenda.
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Anthonia Folashade, a young women peacebuilder from Nigeria, is leading initiatives to combat hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation while fostering social cohesion across the country. Through the 'Together for Peace: Combating Hate Speech Online and Offline' project, Anthonia is training young people on fact-checking, rumor management, and using tools to counter harmful narratives both online and offline. Her efforts are empowering youth to promote peace and unity in their communities.
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During a dynamic discussion organized by Youth Advocates Ghana, the focus was on SDG 16—promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions. The room was alive with the enthusiasm of young changemakers, who fervently shared their visions and ideas for a more secure and equitable future.
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Jara Sikhou Kamara, a young women peacebuilder, actively raises awareness in her community, championing peace and empowerment.
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In this photo, young volunteers from the Faith, Hope & Love (FHL) Group Africa (a youth-led group), alongside community members, are contributing to peace and stability through the 'Community Canvas Project.' Using murals as a form of artistic activism, they help foster community cohesion to raise awareness about reproductive health, adolescent empowerment, and social issues like teen pregnancy and drug abuse

Captured on September 5, 2024, in Cotonou, this photo highlights the conclusion of an exchange meeting between young Beninese leaders and the AU Youth Ambassador for Peace, focusing on the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda.

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Cyrille Ouédraogo, QG JEUNE ambassador, engages with Rosine, 17, to raise awareness about accessing quality sexual and reproductive health information through the QG JEUNE platform. This one-on-one initiative aims to empower young people by sharing crucial Sexual reproductive health information with their peers.
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This photo was taken during a moment of fraternity in Tchébébé, a commune in Togo's central region (270 km from Lomé), after an awareness-raising session on menstrual hygiene with girls' clubs. The event was part of the implementation of the project: “Action des filles pour la paix dans les communautés /Girls Action for Peace in Communities” funded by UNFPA, which aims to build the capacity of girls in the region and involve them in peacebuilding processes in their communities.

A volunteer from Faith, Hope & Love Group Africa uses wall murals to raise awareness about gender-based violence and promote peace.

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Mali Humanitarian Response Plan 2024
Mali Humanitarian Response Plan 2024

Publisher

UNFPA

Number of pages

16

Author

UNFPA Mali

Resource

Mali Humanitarian Response Plan 2024

Publication date

24 September 2024

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In 2024, the humanitarian situation in Mali remains volatile. Millions of people urgently require humanitarian aid due to violence, forced displacement, poverty and significant barriers to accessing basic services, such as health and education, compounded by the impacts of climate change. According to the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), $US701.6 million is required to meet the humanitarian needs of 7.1 million people.

“A race against time”: Djamila’s journey to hospital by canoe in flood-ravaged Cameroon

Story

“A race against time”: Djamila’s journey to hospital by canoe in flood-ravaged Cameroon

calendar_today 12 September 2024

A pregnant woman is stranded by her house amid recent flooding in Cameroon’s Far North region. Credit: UNFPA Cameroon / Samuel Sawalda

FAR NORTH REGION, Cameroon – As Djamila* clutched her pregnant belly, the floodwaters rose around her, threatening to engulf the fragile canoe she had escaped in.

“The water was everywhere,” she told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. “I was so scared – not just for myself, but for my babies. Every minute felt like an eternity.”

Strategic Foresight: Poursuit of ICPD and SDGs in West and Central Africa
Strategic Foresight: Poursuit of ICPD and SDGs in West and Central Africa

Publisher

UNFPA

Number of pages

16

Author

Alain Akpadji, Gilena Andrade, Francesco Galtieri, Olivier Kambala wa Kambala, Pauline Pratt and Nadia Rasheed

Technical Reports and Document

Strategic Foresight: Poursuit of ICPD and SDGs in West and Central Africa

Publication date

28 August 2024

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UNFPA and partners are commited to moving forward faster. This paper is part of a series of “acceleration papers” that analyse bottlenecks and identify priority focus areas at regional and country level in West and Central Africa. The aim is to accelerate efforts to implement the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and UNFPA’s three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning and ending gender-based violence and all harmful practices.

UNFPA in Mongolia 

UNFPA in Mongolia 

UNFPA Mongolia began supporting the Government of Mongolia in the late 1970s providing equipment and training to the Central Statistics Office to undertake the Population and Housing Censuses of 1979 and 1989. Support for maternal and child health began in the early 1990s and included capacity building of medical personnel and the provision of medical equipment and supplies including modern contraceptives.

Key Results

National plan for sexual and reproductive health

2 countries have developed a costed, integrated national plan for sexual and reproductive health, prioritizing access for key groups

Sexual and reproductive health in risk pooling schemes

1 country has integrated sexual and reproductive health services into risk pooling schemes

Sexual and reproductive health in emergency preparedness plans

2 have integrated sexual and reproductive health into emergency preparedness plans

Emergency obstetric and newborn care

8 met coverage for emergency obstetric and newborn care

Adolescent-friendly Sexual and reproductive health services

5 countries have provided quality assured adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services

Health services for sexual violence survivors

4 countries have provided essential health services for survivors of sexual violence

Cervical cancer screening services

1 country has offered cervical cancer screening services

Sexual and reproductive health/HIV index

5 countries have applied the sexual and reproductive health/HIV integration index

Midwifery curricula: international standards

6 countries have implemented midwifery school curricula based on international standards

Midwifery curricula: inclusion of special needs

4 countries have included needs of persons with disabilities in midwife curricula

Adolescent health competencies

1 included adolescent health competencies in curricula of health professionals

Discrimination prevention in health curricula

3 countries have included prevention of stigma and discrimination in curricula of health professionals

Supply chain management strategy

3 countries have a costed supply chain management strategy that includes UNFPA/WHO recommendations on rights-based contraceptive delivery

Logistics management information system

4 countries have used a logistics management information system for forecasting and monitoring sexual and reproductive health commodities

Sexual and reproductive health indicators available

9 countries have periodically collected sexual and reproductive health indicators, and made them publically available

Patient satisfaction surveys

7 countries have conducted routine patient satisfaction surveys on provision of sexual and reproductive health services

Maternal death notification

3 countries have been notified of at least 25 per cent of maternal deaths

School-based comprehensive sexuality education

3 countries have operationalized comprehensive sexuality education curricula in accordance with international standards

Out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

2 countries have a mechanism or strategy to deliver out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education

Integration of sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth into strategies of sectors apart from health sector

1 country has integrated sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth into strategies of sectors apart from health sector

Youth participation in policy and programmes

1 country has developed mechanisms for young people's participation in policy, programming, and peacebuilding

Reproductive rights, laws and policies

4 countries have strategies to align laws, policies and regulations on reproductive rights

Men and boys

1 country has a national mechanism to engage men and boys in policies and programmes to advance gender equality and reproductive rights

Rights of marginalized groups

3 countries have rolled out intervention models or strategies that empower marginalized and excluded groups to exercise their reproductive rights

Multi-sector platforms

1 country has established platforms for dialogue on reproductive rights, fully engaging civil society, including faith-based and state actors

Social norm mapping

1 country has completed social norm mapping based on UNFPA social norm framework

Social norms change programmes

1 country has utilized UNFPA manual on social norms and change

Gender-based violence platform

3 countries have a national mechanism to engage multiple stakeholders to prevent and address gender-based violence

Data on gender-based violence

3 countries have national systems to collect and disseminate data on the incidence of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence in emergencies

1 country has applied at least 15 of the 18 minimum standards for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence in emergencies

National plans against harmful practices

2 countries have developed a costed national action plan to address harmful practices

Vital statistics

2 countries have generated and published annual vital statistics based on civil registration

Population projections

3 countries have generated publically available population projections at national and subnational levels, disaggregated by age, sex, and location

Small area estimations

1 country has generated and used small area estimations of sexual and reproductive health indicators for programme planning

What we do

UNFPA works in more than 150 countries and territories that are home to the vast majority of the world’s people. Its mission: to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

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UNFPA in CO
Regional Director

Regional Director

Sennen Hounton

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A medical doctor by training, Mr. Hounton brings more than 20 years’ experience in strategic foresight, leadership and management at country, regional and global levels in demographic dividend, resilient health systems, and prevention of conflicts.  With a strong humanitarian and development background, Mr Hounton is an expert of the West and Central Africa region where he has demonstrated his ability to navigate the socio-political complexities of multiple and intersecting crises, as well as advocating for the centrality of populations and girls’ human capital for the Sustainable Development Goals. He has a strong record of forging broad-based partnerships that deliver results for women, girls and young people.
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Officer in Charge (OIC)

Officer in Charge (OIC)

Ayna Seyitliyeva

Ms. Ayna Seyitliyeva joined UNFPA Iran in February 2024 in the capacity of International Programme Coordinator and will act as the Officer in Charge (OIC) until the arrival of the new Representative. In her last assignment, she worked for nearly five years as the Head of Office in UNFPA Turkmenistan carrying programme and management functions, working closely with the government and UNCT, as well as international development partners.

Officer in Charge (OIC)

Ms. Ayna Seyitliyeva joined UNFPA Iran in February 2024 in the capacity of International Programme Coordinator and will act as the Officer in Charge (OIC) until the arrival of the new Representative. In her last assignment, she worked for nearly five years as the Head of Office in UNFPA Turkmenistan carrying programme and management functions, working closely with the government and UNCT, as well as international development partners.

Country Representative

Country Representative

Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell, has recently joined UNFPA as Representative a.i. for Timor Leste. Prior to this position, Bruce’s long public health career began in the humanitarian sector where he worked for the International Rescue Committee supporting Palestinian and Afghan refugees in Lebanon and Pakistan.

Country Representative

Bruce Campbell, has recently joined UNFPA as Representative a.i. for Timor Leste. Prior to this position, Bruce’s long public health career began in the humanitarian sector where he worked for the International Rescue Committee supporting Palestinian and Afghan refugees in Lebanon and Pakistan.

Head of Office

Head of Office

Mariam Bandzeladze

The Country Director for Georgia is Ms. Mariam A. Khan, UNFPA representative in Turkey. 

Head of Office

Ms. Mariam Bandzeladze has been appointed UNFPA Head of Office in Georgia in March 2024. She has worked for UNFPA Georgia for more than 12 years, leading its comprehensive portfolio of gender equality as well as the policy dialogue on human rights issues with the UN, government, and development partners since 2012. Before joining UNFPA, trained as an international lawyer, Mariam has worked on progressively increasing managerial positions in the private sector and the development field for more than 15 years.