The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences | UNFPA
UNFPA Press Conference: World Population Report 2024 - 15 April 2024
STORYLINE
Racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination continue to block gains in sexual and reproductive health for women and girls - UNFPA
Despite significant progress in sexual and reproductive health rights worldwide over the past three decades, countless women and girls remain marginalized due to their identities and geographical circumstances.
“The world made zero progress in saving women from preventable deaths in pregnancy and childbirth,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, at the launch of the 2024 State of World Population report at the United Nations in Geneva.
The report, "Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope: Ending Inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights,” is being released today.
“One woman in four cannot make her own health care decisions. One woman in four cannot say no to sex. And nearly 1 in 10 are unable to make their own choices about whether or not to use contraception,” Ms. Kanem said at an embargoed briefing on Monday. The statistics paint a stark picture. Women and girls living in poverty, belonging to ethnic, racial, or indigenous minority groups, or residing in conflict-ridden areas, are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to essential healthcare services.
“We have, for the first time, data on whether women's bodily autonomy is strengthening over time and in 40 percent of countries with data it is actually diminishing. Why? One important reason our report shows is that we have not prioritized reaching those furthest behind,” said the UNFPA Executive Director.
The report underscores the persistent barriers faced by women and girls, exacerbated by racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.
“When we look at ethnic disparities, we see that the groups that have benefited the most are those that had the fewest barriers to begin with. Access to modern contraceptives varies by race, refugee and migration status, education, and location,” Ms. Kanem reported. “While gender-based violence, sadly, is pervasive everywhere, risk increases based on age and sexual orientation.”
Ms. Kanem added that “indigenous women are routinely denied culturally appropriate maternal health care. As a result, these groups are much more likely, and in some places it's six times more likely, to die during pregnancy or childbirth. Women and young people with disabilities, migrants, people living with HIV and gender diverse people continue to experience discrimination and exclusion when they seek sexual and reproductive health care.”
The report found that women of African descent across the Americas are more likely to die when giving birth than white women.
Improvements in health care access have primarily benefit wealthier women, and those who belong to ethnic groups that already had better access to health care. Women and girls with disabilities, migrants and refugees, ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ people, people living with HIV all face greater sexual and reproductive health risks.
“For the one billion people estimated to experience disability in their lifetime, for the 700 million people living in extreme poverty, for the 160 million women with an unmet need for contraception and so many more,” said Ms. Kanem, “these inequalities should not be politicized. They should not be used as an accusation of bias, nor should they be points of division.”
Millions of women and girls remain far behind, and progress is slowing on key measures, according to UNFPA. More than half of all preventable maternal deaths – nearly 500 deaths per day – are estimated to occur in countries with humanitarian crises and conflict.
“It is indeed the responsibility of men to be champions of women's reproductive rights, of everyone's reproductive rights. And while we have seen progress in terms of, for example, women legislators and parliamentarians increasing in governments overall, it's nowhere near the parity and women are half of the world's population,” Ms. Kanem told reporters.
-ends-
STORY: UNFPA Annual Report launch
TRT: 3:27”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 15 April 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Med shot: UN flag alley
2. Wide shot: speakers at the podium
3.SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “The world made zero progress in saving women from preventable deaths in pregnancy and childbirth. One woman in four cannot make her own health care decisions. One woman in four cannot say no to sex. And nearly 1 in 10 are unable to make their own choices about whether or not to use contraception.”
4. Med shot: Technical staff in control room with cameraman and photographer in front
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “We have, for the first time, data on whether women's bodily autonomy is strengthening over time and in 40% of countries with data it is actually diminishing. Why? One important reason our report shows is that we have not prioritized reaching those furthest behind.”
6. Close up: Photographer next to screen with speaker
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “When we look at ethnic disparities, we see that the groups that have benefited the most are those that had the fewest barriers to begin with. Access to modern contraceptives varies by race, refugee and migration status, education, and location. And while gender-based violence, sadly, is pervasive everywhere, risk increases based on age and sexual orientation.”
8. Med shot: Journalists in press room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) - Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “Indigenous women are routinely denied culturally appropriate maternal health care. As a result, these groups are much more likely, and in some places it's six times more likely, to die during pregnancy or childbirth. Women and young people with disabilities, migrants, people living with HIV and gender diverse people continue to experience discrimination and exclusion when they seek sexual and reproductive health care.”
10. Close up: Journalist listening
11. SOUNDBITE (English) - Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “For the 1 billion people estimated to experience disability in their lifetime, for the 700 million people living in extreme poverty, for the 160 million women with an unmet need for contraception and so many more. These inequalities should not be politicized. They should not be used as an accusation of bias, nor should they be points of division.”
12. Wide shot, speakers at podium with photographer
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director: “It is indeed the responsibility of men to be champions of women's reproductive rights, of everyone's reproductive rights. And while we have seen progress in terms of, for example, women legislators and parliamentarians increasing in governments overall, it's nowhere near the parity and women are half of the world's population.”
14. Wide shot: press room with journalists and speakers at the podium
15. Close up: Journalist typing
16. Close up: Journalist listening
Similar Stories
1
2
1
Press Conferences | WHO
Launch of World Health Statistics 2025
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO
In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | ILO , OHCHR , WHO , UN WOMEN
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, and UN Women.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNRWA , UNICEF , OCHA , WHO , ITU , WFP , UNHCR
Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Telecommunications Union.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF , UNRWA
Israel’s aid plan will force Gaza families to choose ‘between displacement and death’ – UN humanitarians
Israel’s plan to take control of relief assistance in Gaza risks increasing the suffering of families already exhausted by 18 months of war by putting their lives in danger and inciting more displacement, using aid as “bait”, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNDP , UNHCR , WHO , UNECE , OCHA , WMO
Rolando Gómez, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
UN Humanitarians reject Israeli plan to take over aid delivery
The reported Israeli proposal to deliver humanitarian supplies through hubs controlled by the military would be a breach of the core principles of neutral, impartial and independent aid delivery, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News , B-roll | OCHA
Gaza: ‘Worst-case scenario’ unfolds as two-month aid blockade deepens suffering - OCHA
Two months into a devastating aid blockade of Gaza food has run out and people are fighting over water amid relentless bombing, the UN’s humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said on Friday.
/Includes OCHA footage from Gaza City/
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNDP , OCHA , UNHCR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Refugee Agency.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Children in Gaza are going to bed starving, says aid agency
The biggest UN aid agency in Gaza on Tuesday condemned the two-month Israeli blockade on Gaza that has left families sharing a single tin of food at mealtime and the sick and injured without lifesaving medical help, amid daily bombardment.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , UNHCR , UNRWA
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.