mer., 8 sept. 2010 17:56:33 +0000 mer., 8 sept. 2010 17:56:33 +0000 http://unfpa.dexero.com 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://unfpa.dexero.com/images/unfpalogoxs.gif http://unfpa.dexero.com 80 36 The world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programmes http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6574 ACHOLI SUB-REGION, Northern Uganda — Although hostilities in this area ceased in 2006, the lives of young people, formerly targets for abduction by the Lord’s Resistance Army, have not been easy. During the conflict, which lasted more than twenty years, the more fortunate children spent their early years confined to congested camps for displaced persons, while others were subjected to trauma, brutality and suffering as child soldiers. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6573 ISLAMABAD – Thousands of pregnant women uprooted by floods face heightened risk of death and disability unless relief efforts can be scaled up quickly to meet their needs, UNFPA warned today. Nearly 500,000 of the 21 million flood-affected Pakistanis are pregnant, UNFPA estimates. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6559 NEW YORK — Each spring, the halls of UNFPA come alive with youthful energy as a new crop of Special Youth Fellows come on board. And then, four and a half months later they leave, to take experiences and capacities gained back to the UNFPA offices in their respective countries. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6552 NEW YORK — When she first addressed her Executive Board nearly a decade ago, Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid highlighted three basic challenges facing UNFPA: ensuring a financially stable Fund, strengthening its institutional capacity, and addressing the social and cultural context of programme development and delivery. Her final statement to the board today examined progress in those three areas, and went into detail about many other issues. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6551 Today, in my final statement to the Executive Board I will be as frank as I have always been with you. I will tell you what I perceive to be the successes, shortcomings and challenges that remain for UNFPA in ensuring accountability and driving the ICPD agenda forward. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6544 LEON, Mexico — The idea that governments must invest more in young people been repeated in forums and panels throughout the World Youth Conference this week. But why is this so important? And what specific investments will generate the most traction? http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6533 RIOBAMBA, Ecuador — When fifteen-year-old Maria Victoria Urquizo tends to the potato-field in front of her brother’s house in the indigenous community of Guanilchig, she has a stunning view of the majestic, snow-capped Chimborazo—Ecuador’s highest mountain. At 3,500 meters above sea level, the morning air in this Western range of the Andes is crisp. The sunlight reflects the bright colours of the traditional indigenous textiles Maria wears, but the story she tells is dark. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6535 LEON, Mexico — “Culture cannot change unless you stand up and say something,” said Thabo Sephuma, a 29-year-old South African who has lived in five different countries and encountered discrimination first-hand. “Having access to basic [reproductive health] services is an issue,” he said. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6531 I have two messages for you today. My first message is that NOW is the time to invest in young people. Now is the time, not sometime in the future. My second message is that NOW is the time to promote dialogue and understanding across cultures and generations, to advance human rights for all people, both young and old. I say now is the time because young people are not just the future; they are very much the present. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6534 UNITED NATIONS, New York—Now is the time to invest in young people and to promote dialogue and understanding across cultures and generations, said Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA,  who delivered an opening speech at the World Youth Conference on behalf of UNFPA’s Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. Young people are not just the future, but very much the present, she told the conference, which is under way in Léon, Mexico. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6509 LEON, Mexico  — The  hall was filled with the energy of some 4,000 young people from more than 100 countries, who had gathered to have a say about the future at the World Youth Conference here today.  "This energy is unrivalled, as it comes from their belief that the world can be changed, that the future can be better than today; because we know for a fact that young people are powerful agents of change," said Ms. Purnima Mane, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme) at the opening of the Social Forum segment of the conference. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6522 Ms. Purnima Mane, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme), opened the World Youth Conference Social Forum in León, Mexico. In her speech, Ms. Mane encourage young people to make their voices heard in the conference: "Now it is your time to speak, so say it aloud and boldly! The world is listening." http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6530 RIO DE JANEIRO — Come Dec. 31, about 68 countries are expected to complete the arduous task of taking an accurate head count of the number of people living within their geographical borders. The demographic census, which traditionally takes place every 10 years in different countries in different time frames, will this year cover nearly half the world's population of 6.7 billion people. http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6506 There’s a new girl in town. She plays great football. But her presence on the team is making life complicated for Tal, the macho captain who feels threatened by girls; Zak, who thinks she’s a valuable player and supports her participation; Zak’s sister; and a new member of the team: you. Choices you make will determine if the team stays together and wins the championship. Or not.   http://unfpa.dexero.com/public/home/news/pid/6443   In conflicts and natural disasters around the world, young people, at a crucial stage of their development, are faced with profound challenges. Emergencies often steal their adolescence and force them to undertake adult responsibilities.