United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says it has raised about eight billion dollars to support the efforts aimed at achieving zero preventable maternal deaths and ending gender-based violence by 2030.
Speaking at an event to mark one-year anniversary of the Nairobi Action Plan, UNFPA Executive Director Dr Natalia Kanem said that despite global Covid-19 crisis, governments still upheld support for women’s and girls’ health and rights, one year after a historic summit.
Development Diaries understands that over 8,000 delegates from 170 countries made commitments in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights at a summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, last year.
‘Today, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, reports that major donor governments are already substantially delivering on the amounts they pledged in Nairobi’, Kanem said in a statement.
‘And some are even surpassing what they promised, demonstrating their steadfast commitment to the rights of women and girls at the time it is most needed.
‘The commitments made in Nairobi are more critical now than ever before. Far from dampening our ambition, Covid-19 has only sharpened our focus and resolve.
‘I am heartened to see so many governments, private sector, and civil society partners take bold steps to sustain our collective efforts and deliver on our promises to women and girls. As long as we stand together, we will prevail.
‘Civil society, the private sector, academia, and others rallied behind the cause on an unprecedented scale, pledging over $8 billion towards achieving zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.
‘Governments also announced major financial commitments and in September 2020, UNFPA established a High-Level commission to ensure all the commitments made at the Summit stay on track, even during the Covid-19 pandemic’.
In Nigeria, UNFPA said it will be ensuring accelerated action towards the ICPD25 commitments and plan of action (PoA) through its technical assistance to the federal government, ministries, agencies, and other partners.
The UN agency noted that the global health crisis has increased the urgency and importance of attaining the Nairobi commitments in Nigeria and globally before 2030.
Source: UNFPA
Photo source: Front Page Africa
