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Implementation Manual for Developing a National Network of Maternity Units

Publication

Maternal mortality is decreasing globally, but not fast enough and with critical inequalities across the regions of the world. Dying while giving birth is not only an unacceptable human right violation but also a violence against women in times where the majority of the maternal deaths are preventable if appropriate healthcare is provided.

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UNFPA Regional Situation Report For the Syria Crisis — February 2022

Publication

As of February 2022, the situation in Syria continues to be dire, further complicated by a deteriorating economy, increasing hostilities, and an unrelenting pandemic. The crisis region, which spans the Whole of Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, continues to face a multitude of challenges, particularly in light of the recurrent waves of COVID-19 infections that continue to exacerbate existing needs. A decade into this protracted crisis, people in need continue to endure the cumulative effects of years of instability, the risks of which are even higher now due to the impacts of a far-reaching economic meltdown.

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Disability in the Arab region: A challenged vulnerability

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Disability is increasingly understood as a component of the international development agenda, producing rights-based approaches to disability-inclusive development. Responding to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there has been a global push to expand the inclusion of persons with disability. Specifically, to ensure: universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning and providing information and education; and the eradication of gender-based violence, and; ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls, including the elimination of violence and harmful practices, such as child and early marriage and female genital mutilation. This research report was developed in 2021 to give an in-depth understanding of the sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, concerns, gender disparity, gender-based violence, effects of age in order to address challenges related to disabilities in the Arab region. The research was conducted in Jordan, Palestine, Morocco and Sudan.

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Bridges to Hope (Impact Assessment)

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2021 impact assessment report of the UNFPA multi-country response to the Syria crisis: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Turkey Cross-Border programmes

 

UNFPA continues to deliver an array of life-saving services that span sexual reproductive health and gender-based violence services, delivered through health facilities, Safe Spaces, and youth centres through its regional response to the Syria crisis. 

 

Impact assessments continue to be a core practice for ensuring that these services and the facilities that provide them are not only up to standard but also accessible and impactful. In recent years, UNFPA has published a total of four impact assessments on the response, all of which showed overwhelming and consistent satisfaction rates among those accessing these services. This assessment report is the 5th regional impact assessment of UNFPA programming in the Syria regional response.  

 

UNFPA is grateful to the courageous women, girls, and other respondents whose transparent inputs continue to allow service providers to tailor their services according to the needs on the ground. We are also immensely grateful to all donors and implementing partners whose support has enabled the delivery of a wide range of programmes geared toward women and girls throughout the region. The achievements registered in 2021 were made despite the unprecedented challenges imposed by COVID-19 and have established yet another solid foundation on which to build as we continue to respond to this multifaceted crisis.

 

The key indicators of the assessment have been summarised in a fact sheet that can be accessed here.

 

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REGIONAL SITUATION REPORT FOR THE SYRIA CRISIS - ISSUE #113 JANUARY 2022

Publication

As of January 2022, the situation in Syria predicts a challenging year ahead, further complicated by a deteriorating economy, increasing hostilities, and an unrelenting pandemic. The crisis region, which spans the Whole of Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, continues to face a multitude of challenges, particularly in light of the recurrent waves of COVID-19 infections that continue to exacerbate existing needs. A decade into this protracted crisis, people in need continue to endure the cumulative effects of years of instability, the risks of which are even higher now due to the impacts of a far-reaching economic meltdown.

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FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION IN ARAB REGION

Publication

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is considered a human rights violation and is condemned in several international conventions and treaties. The Arab region is home to 50 million cases of FGM, accounting for a quarter of global cases.The urgency to end FGM is reflected in its inclusion as a target in the Sustainable Development Goals, as part of goal five to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. The root causes of FGM are complex and include a mix of deeply entrenched sociocultural, religious, economic, and political factors rooted in gender inequality and discrimination. In the Arab region, there is lack of evidence on the impact of humanitarian crises, in particular the effects of conflict and forced displacement on rates and drivers of FGM. As a result of this lack of data and evidence, FGM is often considered a “secondary” issue in these contexts and is overshadowed by other priorities, leaving women and girls at risk of FGM and a lack of supportive services for survivors. Effective and evidence-based prevention and response interventions are urgently needed to address this critical issue. This report synthesizes learnings to address these gaps from a scoping review and participatory discussions with experts and practitioners working on FGM across the humanitarian–development nexus. 

 

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PROMOTING TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE APPROACH TO END HARMFUL PRACTICES IN THE ARAB REGION

Publication

Promoting transitional justice approach to end harmful practices in the Arab region” examines the applicability of transitional justice approach, which is used to address legacy of human rights violations, to end harmful practices with specific focus on FGM and child/forced marriage. The paper argues that the current mode of engagement to end FGM and child marriage will not lead to zero tolerance by 2030 or even 2050. It suggests the need for a vocal and enforced approach to break the curve of progress on FGM and child marriage. It provides some insights on the broader linkages between TJ and achieving SDGs, argues that the narrow approach that is so far implemented in approaching TJ to reach justice is not enough; a more sustainable approach that links ending harmful practices to the overall development of women and girls in the context of a broader development agenda is needed. 

 

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Yemen Response: Situation Report #03 October - December 2021

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As 2021 came to a close, Yemen remained one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with some 20.7 million people in need of some form of humanitarian assistance or protection. The country situation, which is primarily driven by conflict and an economic blockade, has been exacerbated by COVID-19, heavy rains and flooding, escalating hostilities, currency collapse, decreased government capacity and access challenges.

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Joint Technical Brief on Stillbirth Situation and Way Forward for the East Mediterranean, Arab States, and Middle East and North Africa Region

Publication

The aim of this joint technical brief by WHO EMRO/ UNFPA ASRO/ UNICEF MENARO is to disseminate the situation analysis findings on stillbirths in the region, and to renew the global call for collective action with a focus on ending preventable stillbirths in our region and ensuring respectful bereavement care when stillbirths do occur, in part through strengthening data and the maternal and newborn health program response.

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Menstrual Hygiene Management in Emergencies

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'Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) refers to a range of interventions that enable women and girls to manage their monthly menstrual flow in a safe, dignified and hygienic way. Menstrual health and hygiene interventions can not only support women’s and girls’ access to MHM, but also be a gateway for gender-transformative programming. MHM programming in emergencies requires an interdisciplinary and multifaceted approach and involves adjustments and improvements to a range of sectoral interventions including Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, Non Food Items (NFIs) and Emergency Shelter. This guidance note aims to support UNFPA country offices in the Arab region in their efforts to improve the quality, broaden the scope and scale up MHM programming in emergencies. This guidance note focuses on the process of designing and supporting programmes from the vantage point of UNFPA and its mandate, offering practical guidance and links to existing resources on MHM'. 

 

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