United Nations Population Fund Research Articles

Intervention Strategies to Reduce Maternal Mortality in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Scoping Review

According to the United Nations Population Fund, approximately every two minutes, a woman dies, totalling approximately 800 deaths per day for reasons related to a maternal causes. Therefore, within the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, the goal is to reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. We aim to analyse strategies to reduce maternal mortality in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, identify barriers that hinder their implementation, and analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their achievement. We performed a scoping review of the following databases and distributors of specialised information in the health area: PubMed, Medes, Lilacs, Cuiden, Cinahl, Scopus, SciELO, and websites of the United Nations (UN), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Cooperanda. A total of 24 articles were reviewed. The results obtainded determined that reviewed studies agree that despite efforts to reduce maternal mortality, significant social and structural barriers still exist in developing countries that slow the implementation of strategies to protect maternal health, especially in the most at-risk populations, and the improvement of the health system. The main strategy consists of increasing the number of deliveries attended by qualified personnel, which is the greatest indicator of progress in reducing maternal mortality. To conclude, Economic, social, and political barriers remain in developing countries in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. The intervention that has shown the most success is the attendance of deliveries by qualified personnel. It is essential to prioritise maternal care, triangular cooperation, and effective connection between the different Sustainable Development Goals.

Analyzing effective interventions against female genital mutilation across different regions

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains a critical human rights issue affecting millions of girls and women. FGM is deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions, posing significant challenges to its elimination. The trauma inflicted by FGM extends beyond physical pain, leading to severe psychological and emotional consequences. Addressing this complex issue requires a comprehensive approach that integrates legal, educational, medical, and community-based interventions. The paper examines the dynamics of FGM across multiple countries, utilizing third-party data from the United Nations Population Fund. By presenting a comprehensive analysis of these strategies, this paper aims to contribute to the fight against FGM, offering insights and recommendations for policymakers, activists, and practitioners dedicated to ending this practice. The eradication of FGM requires sustained, multi-dimensional efforts to ensure the protection and empowerment of girls and women.

Adaptation of the RESPECT framework to prevent violence against women, Indonesia.

Violence against women is a global health problem. Effectively preventing such violence requires locally adapted strategies. The World Health Organization in Indonesia, in collaboration with United Nations (UN) Population Fund, UN Women, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Development Programme and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, launched capacity-building initiatives to introduce RESPECT as an evidence-based framework to address violence against women. The initiatives included stakeholder engagement, module development, sensitization training, a workshop and evaluation sessions. These sessions introduced RESPECT strategies to government officials, UN officers and community representatives, mapped best practices and developed action plans. Indonesia has a substantial burden of violence against women, despite numerous laws and policies to combat it. The 2021 Indonesian violence against women survey showed that 26.1% (3341/12 800) of women aged 15-64 years had experienced violence in their lifetime, with 8.7% (1114/12 800) experiencing violence in the past year. The initiatives to introduce RESPECT led to securing government support, and verbal commitment was given by the Director for the Protection of Women's Rights against Domestic Violence and Vulnerability to integrate RESPECT into the 2025-2029 National Development Plan and National Strategy for Reducing Violence Against Women. RESPECT can be adapted to local contexts through customization and capacity-building and by ensuring initial government support, dedicated personnel, resource allocation and use of established relationships with key stakeholders. Improved research, monitoring and evaluation are vital to promote evidence-informed decision-making, together with community engagement and multistakeholder collaboration. The UN can facilitate these efforts.

მოსახლეობის აღწერა - მდგრადი განვითარების მონიტორინგის მნიშვნელოვანი ინსტრუმენტი

Among the global problems in the world, one of the important topics is the demographic situation. Basic and accurate parameters of the demographic situation are collected during the census, that is why the general population census is an event of national importance. Like the rest of the world, population censuses in Georgia have a centuries-old history. The frequency and main characteristics of the censuses were conducted at different times with different purposes and interests. It is based on the methodology developed by the United Nations and is conducted in accordance with unified, standard and normative indicators. The introduction of a whole series of innovations is designed for sustainable development in accordance with the task of the 2030 agenda. The use of census data shows us that the role and importance of censuses in the modern global world has grown even more. The "Recommendations of the Conference of European Statisticians for the 2020 Round of the Population and Housing Census", which was prepared by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) for the 2015 round, is particularly noteworthy. The recommendations addressed such important aspects of the population census as data privacy and security, legislation, definitions of terms, phases of the census, publication and dissemination of results, quality assurance and quality management, and technologies used in the census process. Along with the given recommendations, the document focuses on the list of data that countries should receive in the 2020 round of population and housing census, namely: population, its geographical, demographic and economic characteristics; Agriculture, education, migration, ethno-cultural characteristics, disabilities, household and family characteristics and housing characteristics. The census of 2024 will provide us with important and versatile information, which is necessary to assess the demographic situation in the country, to clearly see the existing problems and challenges. The new population census methodology developed by the United Nations and, accordingly, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFDA) includes a number of innovations in the census questionnaire, which deals with immigration status, disabilities, type of marriage and marriage registration. The introduction of innovations is designed for sustainable development in accordance with the task of the 2030 agenda.

Births in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries during the COVID‐19 Pandemic

AbstractThe impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on fertility in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) remains a subject of much speculation. This article reports monthly birth registration data from 18 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) program countries, all predominantly LMICs, both before and after the onset of the COVID pandemic. Despite disruptions in family planning services in many of these countries during the early months of the pandemic, monthly birth data show no observable impact of COVID‐19 on births in four countries (Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Georgia), a short‐term decline then rebound in six countries (Brazil, Colombia, Kosovo, Serbia, Thailand, Ukraine), a relatively longer decline in six countries (Bolivia, Bhutan, Moldova, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar), and a brief increase before reverting to pre‐COVID levels in two countries (Sao Tome and Principe, Peru). This is not unlike the heterogeneous effects reported from high‐income countries. Nonetheless, the lack of birth registration data from the least developed countries, particularly those in Africa, reminds us of the urgent need to improve coverage and completeness of birth registration to monitor and understand future fertility dynamics.

The Establishment Of Shelters as A New Paradigm Towards Struggling With Violence Against Women: A Literature Review.

Shelters are an important part of a full response to survivors, as stated in many international conventions, such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA). This study aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the establishment of shelters for women survivors of violence. This narrative review was conducted based on the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). The MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and EBSCO databases in English and Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID) in Persian were searched for related documents. Also, WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) guidelines and instructions for shelter services for women and girls who have been subjected were searched up to July 31, 2023. A qualitative synthesis was carried out on the 28 eligible articles and instructions out of the 420 retrieved documents. "A "shelter" describes emergency and temporary "safe accommodation for women and children who have been subjected to or are at risk of (typically male) domestic abuse. Types of shelters include emergency shelters or safe homes, second-stage or transitional housing facilities, third-stage housing, and alternative accommodation during (and occasionally after) the period of residence. The shelter delivers a wide range of services, including health services, socio-economic services, and legal services. These principles consisted of a comprehensive perspective, quality of service, organization, funding, and the right issues. Women who are survivors need holistic, interdisciplinary, and specialist care that focuses on safety and needs. The adoption of regulations with robust enforcement guarantees and the facilitation of approvals for the construction of non-governmental shelters and safe houses should be on the agenda setting.

CNN 기반 위성 이미지를 활용한 북한의 도시 인구추정

North Korea does not officially disclose population data through formal procedures. However, information related to North Korea's population can be verified through KOSTAT or internet searches. Nevertheless, these data are based on population surveys conducted with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 1993 and 2008, and are known to be of questionable reliability. In this study, as an initial attempt to estimate the current population of North Korea, we utilized daytime satellite images from 2023 to estimate the populations of Pyongyang and Kaesong at the grid level. The research resulted in the development of a gridded population estimation model based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The model was trained on CNN using data from South Korea and aimed to be applied to North Korea. It employed the VGG16 model, a representative algorithm of CNN, for transfer learning. To account for seasonal differences in the images from daytime satellite data, a U-net was used for image adjustment. Furthermore, neighboring effects were incorporated to enhance the model's performance. The model fitting results indicated that the populations of the four major metropolitan cities in South Korea were estimated without significant differences from actual populations. The populations of Pyongyang and Kaesong in North Korea were also estimated to be similar to the 2008 census data, demonstrating satisfactory results.

IJCM_108A: A Community Based Cross-sectional Study on prevalence of Low Social Support Status of the Geriatric Age group in a Rural population of South India.

Background: The elderly above 60 years of age constituted 10.5% of India’s population according to the United Nations Population Fund India Ageing Report 2023. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of low social support of the geriatric age group in a rural population of South India. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out on 200 elderly individuals including both genders in two villages of the field practice areas of the Rural Health Training Center of MAPIMS during the month of September & October 2023 with the use of the Multidimensional Scale Perceived Social Support questionnaire (MSPSS). Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were carried out using SPSS version 24 software. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 66.33 ± 8.02 years and the majority of the study participants were females (62%). Out of 200 study Participants, 110 (55%) elderly were found to have low social support, 71 (35.5%) had moderate social support and 19 (9.5%) had high social support. The result also showed that the farmers, Illiterates, people belonging to low socioeconomic status and those married were significantly having low social support. Conclusion: The study concluded the prevalence of low social support is high among the geriatric population and emphasizes the need to create awareness among the people regarding the provision of social support to the geriatric population.

Urban planning and development in harmony with the geosciences

Urban geology is the study of the different geological elements that impact and restrict human activities in engineering and economics inside urban areas. Over half of the world's population, or 4.2 billion people, lived in urban areas in 2018. Projections suggest that by 2030, this figure will rise to nearly 5 billion. Notably, the majority of this urban growth is anticipated to occur in developing countries, with towns and cities in these regions accommodating around 80% of the urban population by 2030, as stated by the United Nations Population Fund in 2007. A quick and comprehensive review of the literature reveals the growing importance of urban geology as an emerging area of study as well as the vitality of geosciences for natural disaster mitigation, resource management, sustainability, and understanding geological processes and natural hazards. Interdisciplinary research and collaboration between geologists, engineers, architects, urban planners, and policymakers at the national and local levels is inevitable given the current acceleration of urbanization and rapid environmental degradation as a backdrop. Geology is also an essential part of site selection, infrastructure design, and construction, water resources management, land use planning, and environmental protection during the urban planning and development phases. Incorporating geoscience insights into planning processes and raising public awareness allows cities to be planned and managed in ways that promote sustainable development, and resilience to natural disasters, and safeguard residents' health and well-being. In order to construct safer, more resilient, and sustainable cities for our communities and future generations, geoscience education and research must be acknowledged within the scientific research agendas related to urban planning, development, and transformation endeavors. Given the above, this study aims to examine the close relationship of geosciences with urban planning and development activities and to investigate and analyze the impact of geological factors on the urbanization process. This research also aims to raise public awareness about the importance of geology among the people who live in urban areas.

Life style and problems of elderly people in Uzbekistan

The article deals with one of the main problems of gerontology and sociology. It is, in particular, about social activity of elderly people, motives and factors that induce them to social activity, as well as spheres in which their social activity is manifested. The statistical data of the Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the data obtained on the basis of sociological research conducted under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) Population Fund are analyzed. In addition, the author of the article reveals the nuances of the lifestyle of older people in Uzbekistan, shedding light on the unique challenges they face and the opportunities that lie ahead. As the demographic landscape around the world is undergoing significant changes, Uzbekistan is no exception, taking steps to combat the aging population. The study uses a multidimensional approach to comprehensively analyze the socioeconomic, health and cultural aspects that shape the lives of older people in this Central Asian country. Relying on a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the study reflects the multifaceted challenges faced by the older population. Economic constraints, access to health care and social isolation emerge as key themes with implications for their overall well-being. In addition, the article explores the cultural dynamics affecting the lifestyles of the elderly, traditional family structures, social relationships, and the process of how urbanization affects their daily lives. By bridging the gap between academic research and practical implications, the article contributes to a better understanding of the complex issues surrounding the livelihoods of the elderly population in Uzbekistan. The author offers insights that can help in policy implementation in close collaboration with the community.

Assessment of unintended pregnancies, contraception, and abortion in Botswana.

Botswana has a policy of contraception for all that is delivered through a rights-based family planning program. The program combines a "rights-based family planning approach" with "supportive policies for contraception," and "a commitment to promote equitable access to modern contraception, and expand availability, method mix and uptake of modern contraceptive methods for all women and girls." However, abortion is legally restricted up to 16 weeks of pregnancy provided that provisions of Section160-162 of the Botswana Penal Code Amendment Act 1991 are met, and that the termination of pregnancy is carried out by a registered medical practitioner in a health facility approved for the purpose. In 2020, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Botswana, in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund and World Health Organization, conducted a strategic assessment of unintended pregnancies, contraception, unsafe abortion, and abortion services in Botswana. A consensus operational plan to address these issues was developed during a national stakeholder meeting in Gaborone, Botswana. The consensus reached was to avert unintended pregnancies, improve access to modern contraception, and open nationwide discussions around abortion in the community to enable positive change and decrease maternal morbidity and mortality from unsafe abortion. This article describes the findings of the assessment and outlines the foundation for new or modified services or practices to be developed and pilot tested.

Is Egypt leaving no one behind? Tracing Egypt’s progress in SDG indicators

The Sustainable Development Goals SDGs are the latest of a series of global attempts by the United Nations to persuade nations around the globe to work towards a more sustainable future. In 2019, the Egyptian ministry for planning and economic development signed a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to create a series of reports on Sustainable Development Goals SDGs localization in Egypt. The series consists of a report for each of the 27 governorates covering the progress in SDG indicators. Each report identifies SDGs indicators and their targets tailored according to the governorate’s conditions. This paper traces the progress in these indicators with special focus on Egypt’s governorates with the largest vulnerable populations namely El-Menya, Sohag and Assiut governorates in Upper Egypt. The results show that the rate of progress varies across governorates and indicators. A notable remark is that not all seventeen SDGs are included in the report. The report discusses only eleven of the SDGs while disregarding the remaining six i.e. goals 9,10, 12, 13,14, 15. This in itself can be an indicator of the need for more progress in these areas specifically. Moreover, in the goals discussed in the report not all the indicators proposed by the UN are introduced and reported. The paper shows that Egypt’s most vulnerable governorates are working on achieving the SDGs but still have a long way to go.

Climate Smart Agriculture Practices in India

According to the World Bank, Climate-smart agriculture encompasses the comprehensive management of landscapes, including land under cultivation, livestock, woodland areas, and aquatic resources, addressing the interconnected issues of food security and climate change. United Nations Population Fund or UNFPAs Population dashboard shows India’s population at 1406.6 million with an annual average rate of population increase at 0.9% from 2020-25. To meet this food demand, it is imperative for India to adapt sustainable agricultural practices. The IPCC (Inter-governmental panel on climate change) report has pointed out that climate change has affected food security due to global warming and extremes of temperatures around the World. In light of these facts, India faces the unique challenge of developing a path of enhancing the country’s food supply, ensuring water availability while minimizing agricultural GHGs (Greenhouse emissions) which are estimated to be 14% of its total GHG emissions. In the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index (CRI), India was ranked 7th, with a CRI score of 16.67. This paper aims at understanding the theoretical and conceptual framework of climate smart agriculture and presents an insight into how the objectives of food sufficiency, change in climatic conditions and greenhouse gas emissions are being met in India through policies, institutions and financial models.

Meta-evaluation: Validating program evaluation standards through the United Nations Evaluation Quality Assessment (EQAs)

The 2015 United Nation’s ‘Eval Year’ declaration heightened program evaluation’s significance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, uncertainties persist regarding evaluating high-quality evaluations and addressing social justice concerns in meta-evaluations. The field lacks consensus on both conducting meta-evaluation and the standards to use. To address this, we reviewed meta-evaluation literature, mapped the American Evaluation Association’s foundational documents with the United Nations Evaluation Group’s Norms and Standards to explore their intersectionality on social justice, and analysed 62 United Nations Population Fund evaluation reports alongside their management responses. Our findings indicate that addressing social justice concerns in meta-evaluation is contingent on context rather than established standards. Thus, it’s crucial for evaluators to prioritise social justice in evaluation design and implementation, and to select quality assurance tools that match the evaluation context and professional association guidelines, especially in the absence of standardised guidelines.

Update on HPV Vaccination Policies and Practices in 17 Eastern European and Central Asian Countries and Territories.

In 2021, a survey was conducted as part of the regional program of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to assess the policies and practices relating to HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in the 17 countries and territories included in this region. Since then, very substantial progress has been made with HPV vaccination across the region so another survey was conducted establish the current situation. A 10 question survey covering the policies, plans and practices for HPV vaccination was prepared. As cervical cancer prevention is a priority for the UNFPA, its offices in the 17 countries and territories included in this study are well placed to identify the people who can provide authoritative data for this survey. Working with the UNFPA offices, the questionnaires were sent to these national experts in May 2023, with data collected until 30 June 2023. All countries and territories returned completed questionnaires. In the period from 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2023, the number of countries and territories that have implemented or are implementing HPV vaccination programs has doubled. As of 30 June 2021, only 6 of 17 countries and territories had implemented national HPV vaccination programmes, and by 30 June 2023, another 6 could be added to this list. Of the 4 countries with sub-optimal vaccination coverage rates in 2021, none showed substantial improvement over the 2-year period. The implementation of HPV vaccination programs across the region is progressing very rapidly with ≈70% of the countries and territories implementing or having implemented national programs. However, greater attention needs to be given to ensuring that both the old and the new programs will achieve high coverage rates.

Improving the health status of Afghan mothers living in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The healthcare system of the Islamic Republic of Iran provides special maternal health care services for mothers, regardless of their nationality. This study, supported by the United Nations Population Fund, was conducted to review available data associated with health indicators of Afghan mothers living in Islamic Republic of Iran. This descriptive study used data from the electronic registration system of the Maternal Health Office of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education on characteristics, morbidity and mortality among Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 2017 to 2019. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Based on the results, we propose interventions to improve health services for vulnerable Afghan mothers. There were 168 488 deliveries over the 3 years of the study (2017-2019). Deliveries by Afghan women increased from 3.4% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2019, and more than 70% of these Afghan women were vulnerable. Ten percent of deliveries among Afghan mothers were performed by traditional birth attendants. The rate of caesarean section among Afghan mothers was 30%. Maternal mortality ratio among the Afghan mothers was 43 per 100 000 for the 3 years. Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran use primary health care services provided for mothers in the country. However, healthcare delivery to these mothers is inadequate, although considered better than the care provided to Afghan mothers living in Afghanistan. We recommend targeted interventions to improve the health status of Afghan women living in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

6.O. Workshop: Overview of Comprehensive Sexuality Education Status in Moldova, Georgia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

Abstract Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a key dimension of overall health and wellbeing of individuals. Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is one of the most important means of promoting and supporting youth is their sexual and overall development, and a key component of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention. It is widely recognised that school plays a central role in learning about health and health promotion skills, including sexuality and sexual health. Nevertheless, there is often a lack of evaluation of CSE implementation in school curriculums. This is why UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and BZgA (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung), in cooperation with UNESCO((United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), WHO (World Health Organization) and IPPF EN (International Planned Parenthood Federation), conducted a study in Moldova, Georgia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to assess the status of CSE. In this workshop, we will describe the study process, reflect on the main findings in four countries and discuss two case studies of Moldova and Georgia. The speakers will also share their experiences of translating these findings into advocacy measures and achievements since the study conducted in 2022. The data was collected using the standardized Sexuality Education Review and Assessment Tool (SERAT) via desk reviews of relevant policies, curricula and national data, questionnaires, stakeholder interviews (e.g., with teachers, representatives of technical working groups and ministries of education, young people) and discussions to validate the findings. Overall, we have seen that all four countries teach sexuality education, which is supported by adequate legal and policy frameworks, and integrate it into their school curricula. The comprehensiveness of the curriculum, teacher training and learning methods differ across the four countries. In Georgia, the biggest CSE-related challenge is that there is a stigma in society around sexuality-related issues and there is a need to support an open dialog with key stakeholders. In Moldova, this was the second SERAT assessment within 5 years, which demonstrated a significant progress in the development of sexuality education program since 2017, achieving a much higher score of compliance with the international standards for CSE. Key messages • This study shows that the four countries assessed are on a positive track in implementing and expanding their sexuality education programmes, which are supported by a legal and policy environment. • Gaps still remain in teacher training, monitoring and evaluation, and the comprehensiveness of the delivered content.

Women-led organisations leading from the front: Coordinating responses to gender-based violence in Somalia and South Sudan

abstract Responding to gender-based violence (GBV) in fragile and conflict affected states is highly complex and coordination is critical. Both South Sudan and Somalia have unique challenges in providing services. Despite women being disproportionately affected by GBV, there are many barriers to women-led organisations (WLOs) taking leadership roles. Through a feminist participatory action research project with Women for Change (WFC) in South Sudan and Active in Development Aid (ADA) in Somalia (supported by Trócaire, United Nations Population Fund and the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance), barriers to the participation of WLOs in leadership structures coordinating responses to GBV were identified and addressed, and a resource package was produced. WFC and ADA both went on a unique journey in asserting their leadership roles, developing their leadership skills, and raising the voices of WLOs. The impact of their leadership positions through the project had a knock-on effect, and both organisations have increased visibility and been able to insert women’s realities — including GBV — into other interventions. This article discusses the importance of women-led solutions addressing GBV in fragile and conflict-ridden states, and provides recommendations for increasing women’s voice, leadership and action.

Appalling pregnancy outcomes in flood-affected areas.

Respected Madam, Floods are one of the most common types of natural disasters leading to enormous morbidity and mortality in a developing country like Pakistan. Pakistan is ranked 9th among flood-affected countries worldwide and in 2022 floodwater has submerged over one-third of the country in water, killing over 1,000 and impacting 33 million people. (1) Flood-affected areas serve as ideal breeding grounds for pathogens, severely disrupting livelihoods and impacting the health of the vast majority and adversely influencing the lives of pregnant women. In 2021 Erin et al. reported the impact of the flood on pregnancy, health, birth outcomes and postpartum mental health. They stated that pregnant women in the first trimester are at high risk of having low birth weight (LBW) babies and a reduction in fetal growth rate in areas of major floods. (2) This is not the only study to show these results. A systematic review shows the increased prevalence of preterm birth, at the same time, highlighting increasing incidents of gestational hypertension, increased rate of LBW birth, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and eclampsia after the flood. (3) A study published after the 2012 floods in Pakistan raised serious concerns regarding diarrhoea, skin & eye infections, leptospirosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, respiratory infections and hepatitis being prevalent in flooded areas of Pakistan. (4) The major concern author wants to highlight is the health of pregnant women and growing fetuses being particularly vulnerable to direct and indirect impacts of natural disasters. The poor standards of hygiene in camps set up for women displaced by the floods also contribute to pregnancy-related complications including sepsis. A recent report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has stated s a need for providing healthcare facilities to almost 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas in Pakistan. (5) Flood-affected areas need medical aid to mitigate pregnancy-related complications in relief camps. But no research done on the Pakistani population in flood-affected areas directly highlights the outcome of flood on pregnancy and fetal well-being. The author suggests a data collection and assessment approach and reporting system to evaluate pregnancy-related complications in flood-affected areas; so that future policy, clinical and research strategies are based on research and get adopted to mitigate the effects of future floods on pregnancy outcomes. In addition to this, trained healthcare workers, robust health systems and gender-sensitive responses should be set in place in responding to flood emergencies.

The role of the World Health Organisation and related funds on maternal and child health in Nigeria

Maternal and child health is extremely important because it serves as the fundamental metric of a successful society or nation. This is because every successful conception of a child ensures that there is hope for a better world because each child has the potential to make a positive difference. The demands of mothers' health must be appropriately met since they have a significant impact on how birth will turn out and, thus, on the continuation of life. The purpose of this study is to provide light on the roles played over time by the World Health Organization, International Children's Fund, and United Nations Population Fund in influencing maternal and child health in Nigeria.Using a well-established guide on performing systematic reviews and meta-analyses for medical research as well as PRISMA reporting criteria, systematic review was used to effectively search for data related to the steps taken by these multilateral organizations. After carefully evaluating all the publications acquired and ensuring that they met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, respectively, an electronic search was conducted on Google Scholar and PubMed, yielding 49 studies for systematic review. According to the research's design, the multilateral organizations engaged in the program, the measures taken by those organizations, the country, the target group whether it is for maternal or child health and the state or area in Nigeria where the study was conducted, the data were retrieved. The general quality of the included studies was not astounding this due to the fair rating most of the study received, the availability of the roles in form of intervention or programmes executed by the multilateral organizations involved in this study were very limited upon searching electronically implying that much qualitative and dedicated research on this theme needs to be adequately carried out.This study demonstrates that the three organizations have had a significant impact on Nigeria over the years. However, the World Health Organization has contributed the most to maternal and child health, as evidenced by the targeted programs it has carried out in Nigeria over the years. One significant result of this program was the complete eradication of poliomyelitis in Nigeria.