News

21 May 2013

Let's put an end to this grave global injustice

An estimated 2 to 3 million women and girls in developing countries are living with obstetric fistula, a condition that has been virtually eliminated in industrialized nations. Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, United Nations Under-Secretary General and UNFPA Executive Director, writes on what needs to be done. more

16 May 2013

Meeting on post-shipping condom testing produces results

UNFPA held a workshop for the regional economic commissions (RECs) and national regulatory authorities in the region to build concensus on the post-shipping testing of condoms, in Johannesburg from 23-24 April. The aim was to determine progress made to date in distributing a position paper and implementing its recommendations, as well as to discuss the harmonization of quality assurance for reproductive health commodities (RHC). more
13 May 2013

Sophia, 20, wounded for life by pregnancy and childbirth

TULÉAR, Madagascar — In Madagascar, too many women still die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, or end up severely disabled. The country has reduced maternal mortality since 1990; however, the ratio remains high and is currently at 498 per 100,000 live births. more
12 May 2013

Men, step up on family planning

(CNN) — Our failure to give women in certain parts of the world the ability to decide the timing and number of their children is deeply damaging -- not just for the women themselves but for societies, too. Lifting the obstacles is not something that can be tackled half-heartedly, says Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director. more
10 May 2013

Ambassadors visit foundations supporting child-headed households

More than half a dozen foreign ambassadors made their way up the gravel driveway of the Ratang Bana (Love the Children) Foundation in Alexandra township in Johannesburg, South Africa. The convoy was to visit the local Foundation to observe the work being done with orphans and vulnerable children. more
09 May 2013

Using African regional frameworks for China-Africa health collaboration

Africa regional frameworks should guide the China-Africa health collaboration. This was said by Mr. Bunmi Makinwa, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, at the fourth International Round Table on China-Africa Health collaboration which ended in Gaborone yesterday. more
06 May 2013

Learning the merits of going to health centres

Alia Inno wanders through the courtyard of the integrated health centre (IHC) of Dan Barto, a village located 70km south of Zinder, near the border between Niger and Nigeria. Wearing a Phrygian headdress and with her hands dyed with henna, this 30-year-old woman presents a striking example to her community. more
06 May 2013

New opportunities to cooperate on health challenges in Africa

GABORONE, Botswana, 6 May – Today, Chinese and African leaders will come together at the 4th International Round Table on China-Africa Health Cooperation to explore new partnerships to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing Africa and strengthen an innovative health partnership based on south-south cooperation. This year’s round table is the first to take place on the African continent. It will focus on promoting sustainable health solutions that meet the needs and priorities of African countries and draw on China’s unique expertise. more
05 May 2013

International Day of the Midwife

Skilled midwives, with the equipment and support they need, can spell the difference between life and death for close to 300,000 women each year, and ten times that many infants. more

Calendat of event

Latest publications

  • Final RHCS CCP Assessment Report
    After years of responding to ad hoc requests from countries for technical assistance and supplies, UNFPA developed the GPRHCS in 2008. After 3-5 years of UNFPA’s support for the development and implementation of national strategic plans, the former Sub Regional Office-Johannesburg began undertaking a review of countries’ progress to-date to understand their status and recommend appropriate direction.

  • ESA Position Paper on Post-shipment Testing of Condoms
    Assessment of Comprehensive Condom Programming (CCP) and reproductive health commodity security (RHCS conducted) conducted by the UNFPA Eastern and Southern Africa sub-Regional Office in May/June 2011, indicated that a total of 13 countries would require post-shipment testing of condoms irrespective of their being sourced from pre-qualified suppliers.

  • CARMMA 2013
    Following on from the CARMMA report published in 2012, this latest edition provides an update on the maternal mortality rate in the countries that have implemented CARMMA and the steps that are being taken to rectify high maternal mortality ratios.