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Learn more about the UN in Sierra Leone.
- UN Development Program (UNDP)
- Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
- UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
- UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
- World Food Program (WFP)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
- UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy life of health and equal opportunity. Women often suffer disproportionately, due to violence, discrimination and the burden of poor reproductive health, which is the leading cause of death and disability for women in their reproductive years. UFPA supports countries in using population data to implement policies and programs that reduce poverty and help ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
At the request of governments UNFPA helps to formulate policies and strategies to reduce poverty and support sustainable development. The Fund also assists countries to collect and analyze population data that can help them understand population trends. UNFPA encourages governments to take into account the needs of future generations, as well as those alive today.
UNFPA in Sierra Leone
The decade long civil war that took place in Sierra Leone left a breeding ground fro the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially among soldiers and peacekeeping forces. Due to the lack of infrastructure and health systems, HIV prevention interventions that are found in many vulnerable populations like Sierra Leone are difficult to reach.
UNFPA and other UN agencies and NGO partners are working in Sierra Leone to provide information, services and skills to three vulnerable groups: girls and women abducted and raped during the conflict, war affected youth, and UN peacekeepers and uniformed personnel.
UNFPA is supporting a local NGO called, “Women in Crisis,” that is helping both women and girls who have been forced into the sex trade. The group has set up shelters where women and girls learn how to protect themselves against HIV and how to earn a living through income-generating activities. It is hoped such skills will enable these women to change their lives for the better, empowering them to lead healthier lives.