7 Mil Milllones de Personas, 7 Mil Millones de Acciones

En un Mundo de 7 Mil Millones de Personas, 7 Mil Millones de AccionesUn movimiento global para toda la humanidad

La población mundial alcanzará las 7 mil millones de personas el 31 de octubre de 2011. Este único momento en la historia de la humanidad representa un logro y un desafío, y nos impactará a todos. Un mundo de siete mil millones de personas implica sostenibilidad, urbanización, acceso a los servicios de salud e integración de los jóvenes. Sin embargo, también ofrece un excepcional llamado a la acción para renovar el compromiso global por un mundo saludable y sostenible.

El Fondo para la Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA, por sus siglas en inglés) lidera una campaña global innovadora llamada 7 Mil Millones de Acciones. La iniciativa está convocada por la UNFPA y pertenece a muchos socios del sistema de la ONU, de la comunidad de ONG, del sector privado y también de la academia. La iniciativa es abrirse a todas las organizaciones e individuos comprometidos con mejorar un mundo de siete mil millones de personas.

The World at 7 Billion People: Major Event to Highlight Women and Girls

MEDIA ADVISORY

09 September 2011

The World at 7 Billion People: Major Event to Highlight Women and Girls

The United Nations, U.S. Government, Advocates and Celebrities focus on Unleashing the Power of Half the World’s Population

WASHINGTON – In late October 2011, world population will reach 7 billion people. Given this new reality, unleashing the power of women and girls is key to alleviating poverty and accelerating progress on global development goals.

National Geographic magazine created a yearlong series—including a feature on changing fertility patterns in Brazil in the September 2011 issue—and has devoted a special section of its website to this population milestone. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the lead agency on the United Nations’ 7 Billion Actions campaign.

On September 13, National Geographic and UNFPA are joining several government agencies and non-governmental organizations to host an event focusing on women and girls as critical engines of change in the new reality of 7 billion people.

Speakers and a youth advocate will spotlight ways that investing in women and girls is both cost-effective and essential to solving the challenges facing today’s world. When women are healthy, educated and can contribute fully to society, they trigger progress in their families, communities and nations, improving prospects for current and future generations.

WHAT:
A special event as world population reaches the 7 billion mark to raise awareness around global issues related to women and girls, unleash their potential and empower them to bring social change.

WHO:

• Lois Quam, Executive Director of the Global Health Initiative, U.S. Department of State
• Donald Steinberg, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development
• Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund
• Kathy Calvin, Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation
• Natalie Imbruglia, Singer, Actress and Virgin Unite Ambassador to end fistula.
• Monique Coleman, Actress (High School Musical) and United Nations Youth Championwill join;
• A panel of youth advocates: Ronan Farrow, Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Global Youth Issues, U.S. Department of State; Alexandra Garita, Program Officer for International Policy, International Women's Health Coalition; Assumpta Namusoke, Advocate for PACE Uganda, an affiliate of PSI, a global health organization; and Kakenya Ntaiya, President and Founder of The Kakenya Center for Excellence.
•  A special letter with a call to action from Ashley Judd, Actress, Humanitarian and PSI Global Ambassador

WHEN: Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 3-5 p.m. Reception to Follow

WHERE: National Geographic Society Headquarters Auditorium, 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, D.C.

Sponsor organizations include UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund;
U.S. Department of State;
U.S. Agency for International Development;
United Nations Foundation;
Americans for UNFPA;
National Geographic;
PSI (Population Services International); Population Action International;
International Women’s Health Coalition;
Aspen Global Health and Development;
Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health;
and Monique Coleman’s GimmeMo.

For more information, visit the fact sheets on the 7 Billion Actions website, a National Geographic 7 billion video, and a recent PBS NewsHour feature.

Note to Reporters: To arrange speaker interviews, or for media inquiries and images, please contact: Kathy Bonk, kathybonk@ccmc.org, 202-326-6767 or 202-258-6767 (cell).

For information about the National Geographic article by Cynthia Gorney and photojournalist John Stanmeyer, contact Beth Foster, befoster@ngs.org.

Más información, en la web

Gender Equality, UN Coherence, and You. Online course to raise awareness of gender issues and dynamics

Exploring Linkages. Women's Empowerment, Microfinance and Health Education

Exploring Linkages

Women's Empowerment, Microfinance and Health Education

Author: UNFPA
No. of pages: 15
Publication date: 2011
Publisher: UNFPA

Download PDF

English

The year 2010 marked the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995). Among its many recommendations for achieving gender equality and equity is a call for access to financial services as a means of empowering women, especially the millions of women who live in impoverished and marginalized conditions around the world.

This e-publication highlights the results of a survey of women clients of microfinance institutions in 14 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, with a special focus on the effects of the social services provided by those institutions. It  finds that microfinance, when offered in conjunction with health education services, can both empower women and improve their sexual and reproductive health.

The survey teams conducted personal interviews with 2,533 female clients of microfinance institutions. This preliminary study was conducted to better understand and evaluate the impact of microfinance on women’s empowerment and the impact of microfinance-related health education services on their sexual and reproductive health.

Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality and Health

A global toolkit for action

Author: Promundo, UNFPA, MenEngage
No. of pages: 98
Publication date: 2010
Publisher: UNFPA
Available languages: English
ISBN: 978-0-89714-909-9

This toolkit presents conceptual and practical information on engaging men and boys in promoting gender equality and health. Specific topics include sexual and reproductive health;  maternal, newborn and child health; fatherhood; HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support; and prevention of gender-based violence.

In addition to providing examples of programmes that have effectively addressed these challenges, the toolkit offers guidance on advocacy, needs-assessment, monitoring and evaluation related to efforts to engage men and boys.

The French and Spanish versions of the toolkit are forthcoming and will be available soon.

Versiones en francés y castellano en breve.

Download each chapter and the Tools separately:

Everyone Counts - World Population Day 2010, 11 July 2010

Statement of Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director
As we commemorate World Population Day, "Everyone Counts" is a theme that speaks to the inherent value and dignity of each human being.
The theme "Everyone Counts" highlights the compelling stories that numbers tell us about people. In Asia, when censuses and surveys identified sex-ratio imbalances and missing girls, governments responded, the media reported extensively on the disturbing trends and people were rallied to action. In Europe and other regions, policy debate heated up when data analysis examined the levels of replacement immigration needed to counteract declining and ageing populations.
Data can reveal striking situations in countries. Girls may be delaying marriage, an indigenous population may be drastically under-served, and higher rates of contraceptive use and skilled birth attendance may show progress towards improving maternal health, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Censuses, surveys and vital statistics provide critical data to guide plans, policies and programmes to meet people's needs and improve their lives. This data is crucial as we strive for universal access to education, HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and reproductive health and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, actively supports countries in the 2010 round of censuses. Censuses are central to UNFPA's mandate and mission to support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girls and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
Population dynamics -- including growth rates, age structure, fertility and mortality, migration, and more -- influence every aspect of human, social and economic development. The results of the current round of censuses will be used in statistical systems and policies and programmes for years to come.
On this World Population Day, UNFPA asserts the right of everyone to be counted, especially women, girls, the poor and marginalized. Censuses and population data play a critical role in development and humanitarian response and recovery. With quality data we can better track and make progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and promote and protect the dignity and human rights of all people.