UNOG-NEWS Unintended Pregnancy Crisis UNFPA 30MAR2022
/
2:32
/
MP4
/
185.7 MB

Edited News | UNITED NATIONS

UNOG-NEWS Unintended Pregnancy Crisis UNFPA 30MAR2022

Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended, says UN Population Fund

Nearly a quarter of all women are effectively forced to have sex and nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended globally, new data from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) indicated on Wednesday.

“Today, in countries where data is available, nearly a quarter of all women are unable to say no to sex. Nearly a quarter of women are unable to make decisions about their own health care. Nearly 10 per cent are unable to make decisions about contraception,” said UNFPA Geneva Director, Monica Ferro.

She added that “of all pregnancies in the world, nearly half – half - are unintended. For the women and girls affected, the most life-altering reproductive choice – whether or not to become pregnant – is no choice at all”.

For the UNFPA, the problem is closely linked to a lack of development, gender inequality and stigma, among many other factors.

“It is a development issue,” Ms. Ferro insisted. “While every country continues to experience unacceptably high rates of unintended pregnancy, we see strong correlations between rates of unintended pregnancy and lack of development.”

The UNFPA’s State of the World Population 2022 report also highlights how the crisis in Ukraine prompted by Russia’s invasion on 24 February and other conflicts are expected to drive an increase in unintended pregnancy.

“We are that foreseeing that 265,000 women are pregnant in Ukraine and in next three months 80,000 will give birth” - many without access to critical maternal health care - said Ms. Ferro, her comments coming after the targeting of a maternity hospital in the stricken coastal city of Mariupol earlier this month.

As part of the UN’s response, UNFPA has shipped essential medicines and life-saving sexual and reproductive health services and supplies to the country.

“If there is no health facility for them to give birth, to have a skilled birth - skilled attendant’s birth - or if they don’t have access to healthcare, this is going to increase as we known maternal mortality and morbidity,” Ms. Ferro warned.

Given the “staggering number” of unintended pregnancies every year – 121 million, or 331,000 per day – UNFPA has urged governments everywhere to do more to tackle gender inequality and stalled development – two of the key drivers of the problem.

Among UNFPA’s other stand-out findings, an estimated 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe, modern methods of contraception.

“We must make pregnancy an aspiration not an inevitability, and we do that by empowering women and girls to make affirmative choices about sexual activity and motherhood,” said Ms. Ferro. “For this to happen, we must reduce gender inequality and empower women and girls.”

This includes rethinking what we know about contraception – including who should use it - the UNFPA Geneva Director said, amid a growing tendency for more women to question the health impacts linked to birth control medication.

“One of the questions that we are often asked is are men interested in having a role in reducing unintended pregnancies or in controlling fertility. And it’s quite interesting, because in most of the places where we have data, it shows that men are quite interested. They don’t see motherhood or family planning as a burden only to be carried by women.”

ends

STORY: Unintended Pregnancy Crisis - UNFPA

TRT: 2 mins 31s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 30 March 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior wide shot, flag alley, UN Geneva.
  2. Wide shot, UN Geneva Press room.
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “We are that foreseeing that 265,000 women are pregnant in Ukraine and in next three months 80,000 will give birth. So if there is no health facility for them to give birth, to have a skilled birth - skilled attendant’s birth - or if they don’t have access to healthcare, this is going to increase as we known maternal mortality and morbidity.”
  4. Medium shot, podium speakers, seated, large TV screen showing Ms. Ferro with UN logo to rear.
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “Today, in countries where data is available, nearly a quarter of all women are unable to say no to sex. Nearly a quarter of women are unable to make decisions about their own health care. Nearly 10 per cent are unable to make decisions about contraception.”
  6. Medium shot, podium speakers, seated, large TV screen showing Ms. Ferro with UN logo to rear.
  7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “Of all pregnancies in the world, nearly half – half - are unintended. For the women and girls affected, the most life-altering reproductive choice – whether or not to become pregnant – is no choice at all.”
  8. Medium shot, large TV screen showing Ms. Ferro in foreground with conference participant to rear.
  9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “It is a development issue. While every country continues to experience unacceptably high rates of unintended pregnancy, we see strong correlations between rates of unintended pregnancy and lack of development.”
  10. Medium shot, participant wearing mask, writing on laptop.
  11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “We must make pregnancy an aspiration not an inevitability, and we do that by empowering women and girls to make affirmative choices about sexual activity and motherhood. For this to happen, we must reduce gender inequality and empower women and girls.”
  12. Medium shot, participants, masked, following conference.
  13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Monica Ferro, Director, UNFPA Geneva Office: “One of the questions that we are often asked is are men interested in having a role in reducing unintended pregnancies or in controlling fertility. And it’s quite interesting, because in most of the places where we have data, it shows that men are quite interested. They don’t see motherhood or family planning as a burden only to be carried by women.”
  14. Medium shot, participants, masked, following conference, large screen TV showing podium speaker to rear.
  15. Medium shot, podium speakers with microphones and UN backdrop panel.
  16. Close-up, participant’s hand takes a pen and holds it over press release.

Similar Stories

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | WHO

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025

2

1

2

Statements , Edited News | HRC

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar presented by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral update by Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNOG

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025 ENG FRA

The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNOG

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025 ENG FRA

Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.

Gaza update-OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Gaza update-OHCHR ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on Palestinians killed seeking food in Gaza

Iran update - OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Iran update - OHCHR ENG FRA

Iran-Israel war: UN rights office concerned over strike on Tehran prison, reported espionage arrests

Tehran’s notorious Evin prison known for holding dissidents should not be a target, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday, a day after a reported Israeli strike on the complex.

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza

1

1

1

Edited News

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza ENG FRA

Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza documents war's impact, gaining global attention but facing personal peril.

Human Rights Council - Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Human Rights Council - Iran ENG FRA

As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the continuing exchanges of missile attacks between Tehran and Tel-Aviv.

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025

2

1

1

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025 ENG FRA

Heavy fighting in Sudan continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday.