Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on World Population Day Women have a right to make their own decisions about whether, when and how often to become pregnant. That right was reaffirmed in 1994 in Cairo at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), where 179 governments agreed that sexual and reproductive health is the foundation for sustainable development. In C...

Lusaka, 9 July 2019 – First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, Madam Esther Lungu, today, received a courtesy call from the UNFPA Director Technical Division, Dr. Benoit Kalasa. Dr. Kalasa was accompanied by the UNFPA Zambia Representative, Ms. Gift Malunga.  The courtesy visit was aimed at discussing initiatives implemented by the Office of the First Lady, as well as key areas of collaboration in promoting women and y...

Mkushi, Central Province: Pregnancy and childbirth should be among the happiest moments in a woman’s life. Sadly, this is not the case for thousands of women in Zambia, where an estimated 33,400 women and young girls have suffered from Fistula, one of the serious injuries that can occur during childbirth. The story of Nangoma* typifies the stories of these women and young girls. Back in 1994, Nangoma* was in labor f...