Go Back Go Back
Go Back Go Back
Go Back Go Back

UNFPA in Arab States

UNFPA in Arab States

UNFPA in Arab States

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives.

Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.

Too many left behind

But too many are still left behind. Nearly a billion people remain mired in extreme poverty. Sexual and reproductive health problems are a leading cause of death and disability for women in the developing world. Young people bear the highest risks of HIV infection and unintended pregnancy. More than a hundred million girls face the prospect of child marriage and other harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation.

Much more needs to be done to ensure a world in which all individuals can exercise their basic human rights, including those that relate to the most intimate and fundamental aspects of life.

Ensuring every pregnancy is wanted

Few things have a greater impact on the life of a woman than the number and spacing of her children. That’s why international agreements going back decades affirm that individuals should have the right (and the means) to freely decide when (or if) to start a family and how many children to bear. Yet, in this new century, some 225 million women who want to avoid or delay childbearing still lack access to the quality services and supplies needed to manage their fertility.

Supporting maternal health

We know how to save almost all women who die giving life. The first step is to ensure they can plan their pregnancies and space their births. Skilled birth attendance at delivery, with backup emergency obstetric care and essential supplies in place, is also critical.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of reducing maternal death and disability is finding ways to reach all women, even those in the poorest, most remote areas, or in times of natural or man-made disasters. This involves bolstering health systems. It is also critical that pregnant women are able to access all the care they need, from prenatal HIV testing to post-natal care for newborns, at the same clinic or health centre. This approach saves money and saves lives.

Helping young people fulfil their potential

Young people from age 10-24 constitute a quarter of the world’s population (2014).  Their reproductive choices will shape future demographic trends.

UNFPA advocates for the rights of young people, including the right to accurate information and services related to sexuality and reproductive health. Empowered with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and make informed decisions, they can realize their full potential and contribute to economic and social transformation.

Investing in young people, especially adolescent girls, is one of the smartest investments a country can make. As parents, teachers and leaders of the next generation, they can help break the cycle of poverty, strengthen the social fabric and create a sustainable future.

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

3 have integrated sexual and reproductive health into emergency preparedness plans

Emergency obstetric and newborn care

5 met coverage for emergency obstetric and newborn care

Adolescent-friendly Sexual and reproductive health services

1 country has provided quality assured adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services

Midwifery curricula: inclusion of special needs

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

Supply chain management strategy

1 country has a costed supply chain management strategy that includes UNFPA/WHO recommendations on rights-based contraceptive delivery

Logistics management information system

1 country has used a logistics management information system for forecasting and monitoring sexual and reproductive health commodities

Sexual and reproductive health indicators available

1 country has periodically collected sexual and reproductive health indicators, and made them publically available

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

2 countries have integrated sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth into strategies of sectors apart from health sector

Youth participation in policy and programmes

3 countries have developed mechanisms for young people's participation in policy, programming, and peacebuilding

Reproductive rights, laws and policies

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

Rights of marginalized groups

1 country has rolled out intervention models or strategies that empower marginalized and excluded groups to exercise their reproductive rights

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

1 country has a national mechanism to engage multiple stakeholders to prevent and address gender-based violence

Data on gender-based violence

1 country has national systems to collect and disseminate data on the incidence of gender-based violence

National plans against harmful practices

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

Vital statistics

1 country has generated and published annual vital statistics based on civil registration

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.

Read more
UNFPA in CO
Regional Director

Regional Director

Ms Laila Baker

Linkedin Twitter

Laila Baker is the Regional Director for Arab States in UNFPA, the UN agency for sexual and reproductive health.
Read more