United Nations – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has appointed veteran American actress, Ashley Judd as its new Goodwill Ambassador.
UNFPA Executive Director, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, made the announcement while addressing press conference on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York.
“Ashley and UNFPA will be joining forces to raise awareness of the huge work that still needs to be done across the world to stop women dying (while) giving life.
“More than 300,000 women die every year giving life.
“Sixty per cent of the women who die from pregnancy or childbirth related causes are in emergency or so-called fragile situations, such as refugees and other women fleeing conflict.
“While more than 37,000 girls under the age of 18 are married each day around the world.
“And over 130 million girls and women live with the consequences of female genital mutilation’’, Osotimehin said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He added that More than 225 million people who want access to family planning could not get it.
The UNFPA is the arm of the United Nations which focuses on family planning, and ensuring safe pregnancy and child birth for women and babies.
Speaking on her appointment at the press conference, Judd highlighted issues affecting women and girls within the family, including interpersonal violence and access to education.
“The basis of all sustainable development is a woman and her family’s ability to regulate her own fertility.
“My experience around the world is that everyone loves their family, and the family is also unfortunately often the scene of extraordinary interpersonal violence.
“The solution lies in massive attitudinal shifts towards girls and women, and that we can make possible through education’’, she said.
Judd is known for her acting career in film and television beginning in the 1990s. She also has a master’s in public administration from Harvard University. ((Xinhua/NAN)
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