In this opinion piece written on the occasion of Mothers' Day, UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin talks about how his own remarkable mother shaped his attitudes toward women, human rights and empowerment."She would say that Providence has put me here to accomplish an important mission in the world," he writes.

The following tribute to his mother, and women in general, was written for the Huffington Post by UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin on the occasion of Mothers' Day. He says, "My mother had a strong sense of self. She believed that as a woman she had rights, and she knew that women had to be empowered if lives were to be saved and if families and communities were to thrive. "

<p>Urgent action is needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on child and maternal health before the target year of 2015, and investing in human resources for health, especially midwifery, is one the soundest investments a country can make to accelerate progress, state UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, and ICM Secretary-General, Agneta S. Bridges, on the International Day of Midwife.</p>

This opinion piece arguing about the importance of access to family planning services for adolescent girls, by UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin, was published in the Global Motherhood Blog of the Huffington Post.

<p> <span>"People are the central concern of sustainable development and efforts to promote more sustainable development pathways must take account of people – their numbers, location and age structures, as well as their living conditions, ambitions and opportunities," stated Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, at briefing event "The road to Rio goes through Cairo: why population issues matter for sustainable development" in New York.</span> </p>

This opinion piece arguing for universal access to family planning, by UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin,  was printed in the Global Motherhood Blog of the Huffington Post.

<p> <span>"Improving access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights is essential for rural women’s empowerment and ability to earn an income and feed themselves and their family," says Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, in his message on the International Women’s Day.</span> </p>

<p>"On the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, I call on the global community to join us in this critical effort. Together, we can end FGM/C in one generation and help millions of girls and women to live healthier, fuller lives, and reach their potential," states UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, in his message on 6 February 2012.</p>

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, recently discussed with Forbes magazine such important population trends as low fertility in some developed countries, managing migration and increasing aging populations, rising urbanization and inequities, violence against women and the exclusion of indigenous people.

<p>"The opportunity to improve health for everyone lies in strengthening integrated services. A key strategy to accelerate progress is forging and cultivating partnerships between the sexual and reproductive health and HIV communities, including networks of people living with HIV," stated UNFPA Executive, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, on 2011 World AIDS Day.</p>

<p>"Voluntary family planning allows women and couples to determine the number, timing, and spacing of their children. It is – and has to be - an essential part of integrated reproductive and maternal health programs, because wanted pregnancies are healthier pregnancies," stated UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin at the 2011 International Conference on Family Planning in Dakar, Senegal.</p>

<p> </p> <p>"We continue to believe that when women are healthy and educated, and can live free from violence and discrimination, they can participate fully in society and accelerate progress on all fronts," says UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.</p>