ven., 18 mai 2012 17:20:12 +0000 ven., 18 mai 2012 17:20:12 +0000 http://www.unfpa.org UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. UNFPA – because everyone counts. en-us serrano@unfpa.org (Alvaro Serrano) gruber@unfpa.org (Kimberly Gruber) http://www.unfpa.org/images/unfpalogoxs.gif 80 36 The world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programmes http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/10728 Globally, the total number of maternal deaths decreased by from 543 000 in 1990 to 287 000 in 2010. Likewise,  the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) declined from 400 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 1990 to 210 in 2010, representing an average annual decline of 3.1 per cent. All developing regions experienced a decline in MMR between 1990 and 2010, with the highest reduction in the 20-year period in Eastern Asia (69 per cent) followed by Northern Africa (66 per cent), Southern Asia (64 per cent), Sub-Saharan Africa (41 per cent), Latin America and the Caribbean (41 per cent), Oceania (38 per cent) and finally Caucasus and Central Asia (35 per cent). Although the latter region experienced the lowest decline, its already low MMR of 71 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 1990 made it more challenging to achieve the same decline as another region with a higher 1990 MMR value.   http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/10576 This case study (and related film), based in Swaziland, is part of a series of joint publications on strengthening linkages between sexual and reproductive health and HIV. Increasingly the first two prongs – preventing new HIV infections (Prong 1) and preventing unintended pregnancies in women living with HIV (Prong 2) – are receiving the recognition, commitment and programming support required to have an impact. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/10265 Expanding access to quality, affordable maternal health medicines is critical to making progress in reducing maternal mortality. However, significant challenges often impede such access. Chief among them is a lack of data on the needs, gaps, systems and financing for maternal health medicines. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/10575 We are at a turning point for delivering on the promise to end child and maternal mortality and improve health – marked by bold new commitments. This strategic framework supports one such commitment, the 'Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive'. It offers guidance for preventing HIV infections and unintended pregnancies – both essential strategies for improving maternal and child health, and eliminating new paediatric HIV infections.   http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/8834 This report takes stock of the progress of sexual and reproductive health initiatives of the UNFPA and World Health Organization in four countries in 2011: Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Senegal and Tajikistan. The studies also focus on how the role of the country offices of the two agencies has changed in the context of sexual and reproductive health.     http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/8825 Four reports commissioned by UNFPA offer insights into socio-cultural dynamics in Asian countries, with an emphasis on how religion influences their maternal and child health. The reports explore the main challenges that health workers are facing and provide recommendations for action. Common challenges noted include harmful traditional practices, affordability and quality of care,  and  service provider attitudes. Recommendations are aimed at increasing access to and utilization of maternal and child health services by addressing affordability, staff training, policies, information, attitudes of service providers, gender inequalities, management issues and community relations. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/10765 Increasing women's access to quality midwifery has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible health care during pregnancy and childbirth. A first step is assessing the situation.This comprehensive report, supported by 30 partners, provides the first comprehensive analysis of midwifery services and issues in countries where the needs are greatest. The report provides new information and data gathered from 58 countries in all regions of the world. Its analysis confirms that the world lacks some 350,000 skilled midwives -- 112,000 in the neediest 38 countries surveyed -- to fully meet the needs of women around the world. The report explores a range of issues related to building up this key health workforce. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/6423 UNFPA's Maternal Health Thematic Fund, initiated in early 2008, represent a focused effort to accelerate progress towards saving women's lives and achieving universal access to reproductive health, as outlined in Millennium Development Goal 5. This report outlines the activities, results and achievements from 2009 and looks ahead at future challenges. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/6532 This publication looks at current data, trends and differentials in universal access to reproductive health, the second target of Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5.b). Focusing on the  three indicators within that target (adolescent fertility, contraceptive prevalence and the unmet need for family planning), the report clearly demonstrates that intensified efforts are needed to extend reproductive health to all, and that quality data are essential to monitor progress and identify priorities for action. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/6598 This inter-agency report presents the global, regional, and country estimates of maternal mortality in 2008 and assesses trends in maternal mortality levels since 1990. These new estimates show that notable progress, but the annual rate of decline is less than half of what is needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goal target of reducin... http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/5848  The profiles in this publication highlight how well each of the priority countries (which together represent 95 per cent of maternal and child mortality) is doing in increasing coverage of high-impact interventions that can save the lives of millions of women and children. The core indicators included in these updated profiles encompass key elements of the reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health continuum of care. The report also includes a brief report providing a snapshot of progress on these core indicators across the priority countries, revealing promising news as well as challenges that still remain to be addressed. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/3083 The Maternal Heath Thematic Fund Annual Report 2008 analyzes the needs of priority countries for improved delivery outcomes and outlines the strategy for moving forward. It includes summaries of needs assessments from 11 countries selected for support, including: Bénin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Madagascar, Malawi and Sudan. Both fertility and maternal mortality are very high in all of these countries. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/3085 This business plan for the Maternal Health Thematic Fund outlines its goals, guiding principles, results framework, management, governance and monitoring and evaluation processes for the period 2008-2011. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/2188 This publication contains rich research findings concerning global trends and the prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting and its linkages with maternal and newborn health. It describes changing patterns and practices, including medicalization, and analyzes the threat FGM/C poses to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals as well as its economic and health costs. It identifies important lessons and discusses in detail case studies as well as the application of theories as a basis for accelerating the abandonment process. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/publications/pid/3888 These briefing cards outline why decision-makers should prioritise saving mothers’ and newborns’ lives and key investments they should make in order to achieve that goal. Designed for use by policymakers, civil society groups, and advocates, the cards explain why the world needs to invest now in maternal, newborn, and reproductive health and the strategic actions needed to improve vital health services for mothers and their newborns in the developing world.