By our staff reporter
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has disclosed a significant investment of nearly $1 million over the past four years for the preparation of Ethiopia’s population and census efforts.
Dr. Natalia Kanem, the Executive Director of UNFPA and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, revealed that the financial support was allocated for various purposes, including training on technology utilization and the procurement of computer tablets.
“The costs involved encompass training on new technology, such as assessing populations in hard-to-reach areas. We have implemented new technology for this purpose,” Dr. Kanem explained. “Currently, we are sending a team from the statistical office to South Sudan to learn how to estimate populations in inaccessible areas. These endeavors come with financial implications.”
Dr. Natalia Kanem visited the Medical Center of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) on February 19, 2024. During her visit, she received a briefing on FGAE’s reproductive health services and the collaborative efforts with UNFPA, the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency.
FGAE has received substantial support from UNFPA, totaling $4.3 million from 2020 to 2024. This funding has facilitated the provision of family planning commodities and adolescent and youth-friendly reproductive health services.
Dr. Kanem also shared updates on UNFPA’s advocacy initiatives and programmatic priorities, focusing on reproductive health, maternal health, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth development. She highlighted UNFPA’s advocacy efforts at the 2024 African Union Summit, particularly regarding the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).
