MONITORING (SW) – Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal death rates in the Asia and the Pacific region at 638 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the situation is expected to get worse without timely and appropriate interventions for maternal health.
The UNFPA has appealed for $250 million funding to sustain humanitarian response and reach more Afghans in need.
In its 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), UNFPA is seeking to raise $251.9 million to continue and expand the services. The response aims to address the reproductive health and protection needs of 9.3 million Afghans, including 2.2 million women of child-bearing age, 2.3 million adolescents, and 289,000 women expected to give birth during the year. UNFPA’s target reach covers 42 per cent of the overall UN target population for assistance under 2022 Afghanistan HRP, which requires $4.44 billion funding.
UNFPA Representative Dr. Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza has emphasized the serious impact of the unprecedented crisis among women and girls who suffer the most. Dr. Bodiroza cited the fact that every two hours, an Afghan woman dies from preventable childbirth and pregnancy complications, which could only get worse without timely action. Various reports since August 2021 also indicate increasing prevalence of gender-based violence.
From August to December 2021, UNFPA reached over a quarter million people with reproductive health and protection services through various service delivery points.
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