UNFPA
Nigerian government urges increased awareness on violence against women, girls
The Federal Government on Thursday called for increased awareness on violence against women and girls aimed at ending the scourge. Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of the Vice President and founder, The Women’s Helping Hands Initiative, made the call at the launch of “Orange the World with Doctors,” in Abuja. Orange the World with Doctors is a plenary with medical practitioners initiated by UN Population Fund (UNFPA) aimed at ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) with doctors at the forefront. Osinbajo, who commended the UNFPA for the initiative, decried all forms of violence on women and girls, calling for stronger collaboration to end it. She reiterated the imperatives of strengthening Nigeria’s health system, noting that it key in fighting GBV. She said “I commend all who have joined hands in the...
UN: 64% of married Nigerian women lack sexual, reproductive rights
The United Nations Fund for Population Affairs (UNFPA) has said that an estimated 64 per cent of married women in Nigeria are unable to enforce their sexual and reproductive health rights. It said that only about 46 per cent of married women in Nigeria between the age of 15 and 49 years are in a position to make personal decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health rights. UNFPA said that whereas 56 per cent of the married women have decisions about their healthcare made mainly by their husbands, 33 per cent make such decisions jointly with their husbands. The world body, which issued a report on the state of bodily autonomy for women across the world, said only 56 per cent of married women in Nigeria can say no to their husbands if they do not want to have sexual intercourse. ...
YPP provides girls with sexual reproductive health information
Young people, especially girls and young women faced significant barriers in accessing sexual reproductive health information and services before the COVID-19 crisis. Now, due to the pandemic, there is a risk that young people accessing this life-saving information will move even further from their reach. To address this risk, a one-day Community Forum for adolescent girls and young women was organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Youth Participatory Platform (YPP) in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth in Abesan Youth Center, Alimosho, Lagos. At the event, the CDC Secretary, Mosan Okunola LCDA, Mr. Olufemo Ojo, said “We must continue to provide young girls with information that empowers them to make informed decisions regarding their health and wellbeing....
Nigerian government wants children’s parliament established in schools
Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen has called for the establishment of children’s parliament in schools to aide planning and implementation of programmes affecting children. Tallen made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during an interaction with children in commemoration of the 16 days activism to end Gender Based Violence (GBV). She said establishing children’s parliament in schools would provide a platform for students to express their views, help in implementing programmes affecting them and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. “It is my hope that after this event, the school authorities will set up guidelines to establish Children’s Parliament within the schools. “This will provide a platform for harvesting the voices of children in planning and implementing ...
UNFPA set to inaugurate two youth-friendly centres
Wikipedia The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says it will inaugurate additional two youth-friendly centres in Lagos State to enhance sexual and reproductive health information and services for youths. Its Head in Lagos Liaison Office, Dr Omolaso Omosehin, also the Assistant Reps, UNFPA, made this known in Lagos. Omosehin said that the youth-friendly centres, which fall under the “Hello Lagos Project”, would be opened before December in Yaba and Ikorodu areas of Lagos State. Hello Lagos Project, an Adolescent/Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, was initiated in 2002, funded and supported by UNFPA. The centre aims at bridging the gap by providing a “safe, accessible and confidential centre for young people” in the state for health and personal...
Speaker Gbajabiamila: House of Reps to provide funds for fight against gender-based violence
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila says the house will provide funds for the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the 2021 budget to be presented to the National Assembly in September. Gbajabiamila said this in response to a request by Ulla Mueller, the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. Mueller led a delegation of United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative on a courtesy call to the speaker, a statement issued by Mr Lanre Lasisi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said. Gbajabiamila said that apart from budget funds, the house would also provide all necessary support and partner with relevant stakeholders for the fight against GBV to succeed. According to the speaker...
UNFPA: Nigeria records 12,000 new cases of fistula yearly
The United Nations (UN) Population Fund (UNFPA), says Nigeria records 12,000 new cases of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), yearly. Newsmen reports that VVF is an abnormal fistulous tract extending between the bladder (vesica) and the vagina, that leads to continuous involuntary discharge of urine into the vaginal vault. Mrs Ulla Muller, Country Representative of UNFPA, told newsmen in an interview in Abuja, that with the figure, Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest number of VVF cases globally. “Nigeria has about 148,000 cases of fistula, with about 12,000 new cases every year,” Muller said. According to the UN representative, UNFPA has large imprint in Nigeria through preventive and curative interventions such as family planning, community engagement and training of healthcare wo...
