Women and children displaced by violence in Sudan are walking for up to 40 days to reach safety, with pregnant women giving birth along the way. ĢƵFPA, led by Fabrizia Falcione, is on the ground providing urgent healthcare and support to save lives amid this crisis.
As societies go digital, technology is reshaping child marriage, both enabling harmful practices and empowering girls to resist and seek support.
One Kenyan man is breaking tradition to stand up for girls - nearly 30 years ago, a student asked Patrick Ngigi for help and this changed the direction of his life. “In 1997, I was working as a head teacher when a girl came to me and pleaded for help [...] I took her to my mother’s house because we didn’t have any rescue centres available. That is how the Mission with a Vision rescue centre began.” ĢƵ Population Fund (ĢƵFPA) .
Amid freezing temperatures and repeated power outages, Kyiv doctors continue performing life-saving Caesarean sections, relying on backup systems and resilience to protect mothers and newborns.
As violence and winter grip northern , pregnant and displaced women face life-threatening risks as homes, safety and access to healthcare collapse.
Amid the , displaced health workers supported by ĢƵFPA are delivering life-saving maternal and reproductive care to women and girls in Northern State camps.
In Paraguay, where nearly 8 out of 10 women have experienced some form of in their lives, young female scientists, athletes, musicians and others are working to fight that fate, joining an anti-violence campaign spearheaded by , the ĢƵ’s sexual and reproductive health agency. The initiative – – uses social networks, music concerts and community activities like mural painting to raise awareness of the right to live in a world free of violence. It has garnered support from public and private sector partners, civil society organizations and sports institutions, building momentum ever since its launch in 2022. Here, young women involved with the initiative, including Jennifer - a karate champion and teacher - on how dreams can be achieved when girls lift each other up – and can live their lives without violence.
Throughout 2025, the world read about the record number of conflicts and climate crises tearing apart countries and communities. We heard how steep cuts to humanitarian funding are spelling disaster for millions of people. We watched as AI expanded and digital violence against women and girls took a dangerous new turn. But we also saw ordinary people stepping up and doing extraordinary things: From the to the teenagers helping each other in the Philippines, so many individuals showed courage, resilience and a refusal to give up in the face of immense odds. Girls at a safe space in eastern Zambia perform a role-play scenario about peer pressure.
Angela Bassett, award winning actress, highlights that for mothers and newborns in crises, a $5 can mean the difference between life and death.
Amid relentless attacks and rising stress, maternity hospitals across Ukraine are forced to deliver babies in underground shelters as premature births and maternal risks sharply increase.
A shows gender-based violence remains rampant and increasingly technology-driven, with adolescent girls disproportionately harmed as laws, policies and protections lag behind rapidly evolving online threats.
The animated film highlights how technology can empower women and girls with disabilities while also being misused to perpetrate . It urges collective, intersectional action to ensure safe, inclusive digital spaces for all.
Helena collects water from a borehole in Giraul village in Angola, where the river has stopped flowing. Women are desperate to collect water for their families amid prolonged drought, but cholera outbreaks have been reported in the area due to contaminated water. Clean water is essential during childbirth – without it, the risk of infection increases. Birthing equipment must be properly cleaned, and new mothers need safe water for bathing. Maria, a traditional midwife in Giraul, who provides a lifeline for women who can’t make the journey to a hospital, asks women to collect water before they go into labour. is training midwives to help women deliver safely, as well as delivering youth programmes that help pregnant adolescents get the care and support they need and stay in school. and the are working with the Government of Angola to manage drought and provide water and food support to the region.
With a global shortage of 900,000 midwives, training the next generation of these crucial health workers, to avoid preventable deaths and ensure safe births, is a priority for , the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. The training school in Abidjan is one of eight schools ĢƵFPA supports in the country. Models of pregnant women and babies are used to simulate childbirth, including emergency deliveries, in a safe, realistic and risk-free environment – because in real life, there is no test run. In Côte d’Ivoire, many women give birth without the assistance of a skilled health professional. With the support of ĢƵFPA, the National Institute for the Training of Health Workers is working to change this, and also tackling the country’s high rates of maternal mortality and adolescent pregnancy and low contraceptive prevalence.
from to debunk common myths and consult the new to find out more.
