<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York – The theme of this year’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, “Tracking Fistula – Transforming Lives,” reflects an important step forward in eradicating this preventable condition, which affects an estimated two million women and girls in developing countries.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York <span style="color: rgb(87, 83, 73); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none;">–</span> UNFPA will be leading a coalition of partners to provide health and psychosocial services to the young girls who were kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, as soon as they are returned to their families.</p> <p> </p>

Twenty years ago, at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, the world community recognized that families, in their various forms, should be strengthened and enjoy comprehensive protection and support.

<p>Globally, in the past two decades, maternal death has declined by nearly half. In the same period, skilled birth attendance has increased by 15 per cent, with two out of three deliveries worldwide now attended by a skilled health professional. With just over 600 days left until the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deadline, concerted efforts are required to scale up cost-effective interventions in educating midwives and other professionals with midwifery skills.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, welcomes the conclusions of the 47th session of the Commission on Population and Development, which reaffirmed the groundbreaking and forward-looking Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).</p>

<p>UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, welcomes the decision by the Philippines Supreme Court to uphold the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, which allows women, especially the poor and marginalized, access to reproductive health information and services, including family planning and sexuality education.</p>

"The ICPD Programme of Action changed forever how we perceive population and development. It moved population policies and programmes from a focus on numbers to a focus on individuals – women and men, girls and boys. And in so doing, it ensured that our collective goals included all people, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable women and girls", said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin in his opening remarks to this historic session of the Commission on Population and Development.

UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin addressed the High-Level Debate on ICPD Beyond 2014 on 4 April. In his speech he stressed that this is a crucial time in the evolution of the global development agenda.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"> <font size="3"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;Times New Roman"">UNITED NATIONS, New York — UNFPA, The United Nations Population Fund, welcomes the agreement by the 58^th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that clearly reaffirms the international community’s commitments to gender equality and the empowerment and human rights of women and girls.</span> </font> </p>

We all remember when the headlines, nearly half a century ago, warned of an imminent population explosion. Governments were scrambling to find the solution and their answer was to limit population growth, especially in the developing world. In 1994, we found what then seemed like an unlikely answer to dealing with changing population dynamics: women.

<p>As we commemorate International Women’s Day and celebrate the many achievements of women and girls, we should also remember that for far too many, the ability to live a healthy, productive life free from violence, to fully enjoy their rights, remains an aspiration.</p>

<p>UNITED NATIONS, New York -- UNFPA Executive Director, Babatunde Osotimehin, addressed the morning session of the 5th meeting of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals.</p> <p> </p>