<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York–UNFPA today welcomed the United Nations Secretary-General's announcement naming Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin as Executive Director of UNFPA, to succeed Thoraya Ahmed Obaid once her tenure ends on 31 December.</p>

<p>JAKARTA—Tens of thousands of pregnant women are among the 340,000 people uprooted by two recent eruptions of Mount Merapi in Central Java, Indonesia. To protect their health, UNFPA has provided medical supplies to four affected districts and is giving technical assistance in delivering reproductive health services.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York—As part of its efforts to improve hygiene conditions and prevent the recent spread of the cholera epidemic in Haiti, UNFPA has distributed nearly 7,000 hygiene-cholera kits since 1 November, targeting pregnant women and people living with HIV.</p>

<p>YANGON, Myanmar — More than 70,000 people remain homeless in western Myanmar two weeks after Cyclone Giri killed 45 people and destroyed 15,000 homes.</p>

<p>PORT-AU-PRINCE—In response to the recent outbreak of cholera in Haiti, UNFPA is adapting 22,000 standard hygiene kits to include specific items that could reduce or prevent the spread of the epidemic.</p>

<p>LONDON—When women have access to the same rights and opportunities as men, they are more resilient to conflict and disaster and can lead reconstruction and renewal efforts in their societies, according to The State of World Population 2010, published today by UNFPA.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS— A report released by the United Nations today calls for intensified investment in cost-effective interventions to address the problem of obstetric fistula.</p>

<p>NEW YORK — Business and community leaders, dignitaries and philanthropists celebrated advances in the health and rights of women last night at the Awards for the Health and Dignity of Women sponsored by Americans for UNFPA.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS — Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, has welcomed the action plan adopted by world leaders to redouble their efforts to reduce maternal death and poverty and improve the health and rights of women.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS—Culminating a global summit on the Millennium Development Goals, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Heads of State and Government, along with the private sector, foundations, international organizations, civil society and research organizations, kicked off a concerted world-wide effort to save the lives of more than 16 million women and children.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS—UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid today called on world leaders to increase funding for reproductive health, including family planning, and place women’s health at the centre of their national plans.</p>

<p>GENEVA — The number of women dying due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth has decreased by 34 per cent from an estimated 546,000 in 1990 to 358,000 in 2008, according to a new report, "Trends in Maternal Mortality", released by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Population Fund  and the World Bank.</p>