<p>UNITED NATIONS, Nairobi/ New York — Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, is visiting refugee camps in Kenya to underscore the urgent needs of women affected by the famine in the Horn of Africa.</p>

<p>ACCRA, Ghana --- Over 70 midwifery leaders from 12 African countries have gathered here today to participate in a five-day workshop that will lead to action plans to improve access to qualified midwives across the continent – and ultimately to save the lives of women and their newborns.</p>

<p>NEW YORK—UNFPA, the UN Population Fund, is alarmed about the increasing number of cholera cases being reported near Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York,—UNFPA is scaling up its efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by famine and displacement in the Horn of Africa.</p>

<p>As the world population approaches 7 billion, UNFPA is launching a global initiative to highlight the challenges, opportunities and actions that will shape our common future.</p>

<p>GENEVA/DURBAN  – Up to 3.6 million deaths could be avoided each year in 58 developing countries if midwifery services are upgraded by 2015, according to a major new report released here today by UNFPA and partners.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York—The Government of Japan announced on 18 June that it will present the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun to Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, former Executive Director of UNFPA.</p>

GENEVA — Gender-biased sex selection reflects and fuels a culture of discrimination and violence, and must be addressed urgently by all segments of government and society as a matter of women’s human rights, five UN agencies have stressed.

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York—IBM is partnering with UNFPA in promoting its efforts to highlight the challenges and opportunities facing a world of seven billion people—a milestone expected to be reached by the end of October.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York— Stronger action must be taken to change harmful gender norms and practices and to integrate the prevention of gender-based violence into anti-HIV efforts, said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA.</p>

<p>GENEVA—Today, 16 countries announced new commitments to dramatically reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality, as part of the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.</p>

<p>ISTANBUL—The Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries  ended today after adopting the Istanbul Programme of Action which lists population, youth development, gender equality and women’s empowerment among LDCs’ priority action areas. The summit also adopted a political declaration.</p>