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Kabul, 16 April 2019 – The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) and UNFPA Afghanistan today jointly launched the State of World Population Report (SWOP) 2019.

The UNFPA flagship report is about the unfinished business of pursuing rights and choices for all that was started 25 years ago at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo – when the world’s governments agreed that meeting the real needs of all women and girls for reproductive health care, education and advancement is key to sustainable development.

Specifically, the Programme of Action called for all people to have access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including voluntary family planning, safe pregnancy and childbirth services, and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Since then, the efforts of reproductive rights movements have cleared the way for healthier, more productive lives for untold millions.

In 2003, 10 percent of women used modern contraceptives in Afghanistan, compared to 20 percent today. The number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes dropped from 1,600 per 100,000 live births in 2002 to 1,291 in 2015. Despite such progress, more than half of women in Afghanistan give birth without the assistance of a skilled birth attendant and over 25 percent of married women have an unmet need for family planning.

The report publishes, for the first time, data on women’s ability to make decisions over key areas of their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Gathering such data to track progress is still a difficult task in Afghanistan.

“The low level of data use and availability poses serious challenges in designing the path to national development. Further investment and partnerships are needed for strategic interventions – on generation of evidence and knowledge as well as advocacy and policy dialogue,” said Mr. Jawed Rasuli, Director General of the National Statistics and Information Authority.

Governments, civil society, international institutions, activists and advocates must join forces to finish the unfinished business of the ICPD, with special attention to reaching those left behind: the young, the poor and people in rural areas.

“The SWOP 2019 is a call to action to empower those who are not yet able to enjoy their rights and those whose choices are still constrained the unfinished business of guaranteeing rights and choices for all,” said UNFPA Afghanistan Country Representative Koffi Kouame.

 

Press Release - Dari

Press Release - Pashto

 

For more information, please contact:

At the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA): Mr. Masood Alishangi, +93 700087901, m.alishangi@nsia.gov.af

At UNFPA Afghanistan: Dr. Bashir Najeeb, + 93 793 100 111najeeb@unfpa.org