<p class="bodytext"> <b>KABUL, Afghanistan</b> - Dr. Olivier Brasseur, Afghanistan Country Director for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), today joined Ahmad Fawzi, spokesman for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, in a briefing for the press.</p>

<p> <b>UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK</b>—The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today warmly welcomed the decision by the United States Congress to increase support to UNFPA in 2002.</p>

<p class="bodytext"> <b>NEW YORK</b>—The Netherlands government has once again become the biggest donor of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Ms. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the Fund, warmly welcomed the move and encouraged other countries to follow the Netherlands in increasing their contributions to UNFPA.</p>

<p class="bodytext"> <b>UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK</b>—The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has appointed Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan as a Goodwill Ambassador. The only sister of the late King Hussein Bin Talal of Jordan, she will support the global work of the UNFPA.</p>

<p class="bodytext"> <b>BRATISLAVA, Slovakia</b> - Actions to protect women’s rights and meet their specific needs should become a standard part of any international response in wars and post-conflict situations, an expert meeting agreed here today.</p>

<p class="bodytext">On 7 November, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will release The State of World Population 2001 report, Footprints and Milestones: Population and Environmental Change.</p>

<p class="bodytext">Afghan women and girls in need of life-saving reproductive health assistance was the topic of a UNFPA News Conference Call held for international reporters on Monday 22 October, 2001.</p>

<p class="bodytext"> <b>UNITED NATIONS, New York</b> - Responding to the grave health emergency now facing Afghan women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is mounting its largest-ever humanitarian operation. The Fund is asking international donors for $4.5 million to support the effort.</p>

<p class="bodytext">In remarks to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 13 September, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid stated:</p>

<p> <b>United Nations, New York</b> – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FIGO) are meeting in London this week to discuss obstetric fistula, a neglected disease with severe physical and social consequences that afflicts young women in developing countries.</p>

<p> <b>United Nations, New York</b> - Following is the statement given today by Ms. Thoraya A. Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (please check against delivery):</p>

<p class="bodytext"> <b>United Nations, New York</b> - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is sending emergency reproductive health assistance to the Central African Republic (CAR) where about 100,000 people have been displaced by fighting following an attempted coup d’etat in May.</p>