On International Women’s Day, UNFPA Works to Put Choice in Women’s Hands

New York, March 8 – On the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, urged the international community to help put contraceptive choices in the hands of 100 million women.

UNFPA said the Hand to Hand Campaign, led by the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, brings together stakeholders in public and private sectors around the world to meet the needs of almost half the 215 million women who lack effective family planning. The agency said its campaign will lead to 96 million fewer unintended pregnancies, 110,000 fewer maternal deaths and 1.4 million fewer infant deaths in five years.

UNFPA “will continue supporting this campaign to put power in the hands of women,” said Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin. “When women and couples can plan their families, and balance work and family life as they desire, we expand equal opportunity,” he said.

“When a pregnant woman no longer fears losing her job, and maternity no longer continues to be a source of discrimination in employment, we advance equal rights. When girls are educated and healthy, and can avoid child marriage, unwanted pregnancy and HIV, they can contribute fully to society. These steps will combine to unleash the full potential of half of the world’s population.”

Read the UNFPA press release here.

For more information contact:

Abubakar Dungus, +1 212 297 5031, dungus@unfpa.org
Omar Gharzeddine, +1 212 297 5028, gharzeddine@unfpa.org
Christina Vrachnos +1 212 297-5279, Vrachnos@unfpa.org

Source: http://www.planetwire.org/