Under the slogan: “Want to improve women’s lives and countries’ prospects for prosperity? Expand contraceptive choice. Her life. Her choice. Our future.” this year 2019, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) celebrates the World Population Day, on July 11, in an event merging two Important celebrations. #DMP 2019, ICPD 25 #UNFPA 50 # Each one counts
In one hand, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of UNFPA, since its foundation in 1969, and on the other hand, we celebrated the 25 years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) took place. In this sense, the UNFPA Country Office in Equatorial Guinea, like the rest of the countries, joyfully celebrated this festivity with a series of activities in the United Nations House in Malabo, capital city. Activities ranging from the family photo of UNFPA Staff with other agencies of the United Nations System (among which are UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, FAO, UNDP, UNAIDS, WORLD BANK and UNDSS), and partners, like the Ministries of Social Affairs and Gender Equality; Economy, Finance & Planning; Health and Social Welfare; Information, Press and Radio; representatives of the Diplomatic corps and Noble Energy Company.
During the official event, the UNFPA Resident Representative, Mady Biaye, read the message of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who emphasized the importance of this Day: " This year's World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the Cairo ICPD Conference.” (cit.).
"25 years ago, the world made a promise" was the institutional video broadcasted during the event, which summarized the commitments made by the States 25 years ago at the ICPD Cairo meeting.
Another key moment during this event was the message of the UNFPA Executive Director on the occasion of World Population Day 2019, which was read by Mrs. Maria Fernandes Teixeira, Project Coordinator for the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Project of UNFPA Equatorial Guinea.
This message stressed the importance of the ICPD principles and goals: Access to Family Planning; ending all preventable maternal deaths and the elimination of all forms of violence and discrimination against women.
"At UNFPA, we are working with countries and partners to deliver on the world we imagined 25 years ago. Our sights are firmly set on achieving three zeros by 2030:
- zero unmet need for family planning;
- zero preventable maternal deaths; and
- zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation." (cit.)
The message was followed by the projection of a video showcasing a best practice example in the implementation of the ICPD agenda in Equatorial Guinea, through a tripartite partnership between the Government, UNFPA and the private sector through the oil company Noble Energy, on the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality.
Mr. Mady Biaye, again took the floor to summarize the ICPD principles and its commitments: Access to Family Planning; Reduction of Maternal Deaths and the elimination of all forms of violence and discrimination against women. Calling on the will of all of us to achieve the three Zeros that the UNFPA Executive Director mentioned in her message, he congratulated UNFPA for its 50th Anniversary (1969-2019), and thanked everyone for their participation.
The event finished with the cut of the birthday cake, by H.E. the Minister of Social Affairs and Gender Equality, Mrs. María Consuelo Nguema Oyana, and the UNFPA Representative.
