<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — The European Commission has contributed € 14.87 million to help UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, provide equipment and supplies for obstetric and maternal health in 17 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries in conflict or post-conflict situations.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — A veteran family planning doctor and programme manager, Dr. Halida Hanum Akhter, of Bangladesh, and Haiti’s Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education (FOSREF) have won this year’s United Nations Population Award.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan</strong> — Six months after the devastating 8 October 2005 earthquake that ripped through northern Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, continues to provide much-needed health assistance to the earthquake victims, especially women and adolescent girls.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — More funding for international family planning is needed urgently to enable 200 million women in developing countries to exercise their human right to determine the size of their families.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>MUSCAT, Oman</strong> — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, has set up its first subregional office to serve countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.</p>

<p align="left">UNITED NATIONS, New York — Nigeria's first census in 15 years ended late last night following a two-day extension to ensure universal coverage of the head count in the total tally.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — The Government of Canada will contribute Can$15 million (US$13.2 million) to support efforts by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and partners to fight sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK</strong> — The Secretary-General of the United Nations has approved the appointment of Mari Simonen as Deputy Executive Director, External Relations, United Nations Affairs and Management of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbearing injury that affects more than 2 million women in the developing world.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, today pledged its continued efforts to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation or cutting, which is inflicted on an estimated 6,000 girls every single day.</p>

<p align="left" class="bodytext"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong>—The Executive Board of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, last week approved the sixth UNFPA programme of assistance to China, totalling $27 million over five years.</p>

<p align="left"> <strong>UNITED NATIONS, New York</strong> — More countries contributed to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in 2005 than in any year since it began operations in 1969, bringing the number of donor nations to 171, compared to the 2004 record of 166.</p>