Vol. V, Issue 1 UNFPA Update

UNFPA - because everyone counts A quarterly newsletter UNFPA co-hosted international meeting on digital data capture produced by UNFPA Country Office

Inside this issue: International meeting on digital data capture held 1 Resource center for disabled students inaugurated 1 UN Association in Sweden delegation visits programmes 2 UNFPA handed-over supplies to drought affected areas 2 Mr. Yao speaking at the event Women First Run 2016 held 4 A three-day international meeting on - Commissioner of the National Planning ital data capture for the 2020 Round of Commission of , noted “The Population and Housing Censuses took Ethiopian Government appreciates that Special points of interest: place in Ethiopia between 15 and 17 the full adoption of modern technology in February. The meeting provided a forum the in the entire population and housing • Digitizing Census data for sharing knowledge and experience census process is a huge national and on ICT-enabled census data capture, continental responsibility.” He went on to capture transfer, processing, dissemination and state that the government was keen to management. support institutional capacity building at the Central Statistical Agency to lever- Making a remark at the opening of age ICT to improve overall quality and meeting, Dr. Abraham Tekeste, Deputy (Cont. on page 3) Resource center for students with disabilities Inaugurated

The UNFPA supported resource Centre for Students with Disabilities established by the African AIDS Initiative Internation- al (AAII) at the Addis Ababa University was inaugurated on 29th March 2016. Mr. Faustin Yao, UNFPA Country Rep- resentative, said on the occasion “the establishment of this resource center is reflective of the fact that students with disabilities are at a disadvantage and are facing quite a number of challenges related to SRH and the associated gen- der based violence. These challenges justify the decision to set up this center to increase their access to information and related services to empower them.” The Resource Centre consists of a computer pool of 42 computers with in- ternet connections and a reading room. Inauguration of the center 2

A delegation of the UN Association in Sweden visited UNFPA supported programme

Members of delegation interacting with community members

A delegation of the UN in the Abala District in the participated in the visit Association in Swe- . A total of 12 which took place between den visited the UNFPA people composed of staff 4 and 6 April 2016. supported programme of the UN Association in The integrated pro- on child marriage and Sweden and corporate gramme on child mar- Female Genital Mutila- sponsors contributing riage and female genital tion being implemented funding to the programme mutilation which is being (Cont. on page 3)

UNFPA handed-over supplies to drought affected areas

the assessment. The El Niño induced disruption of rainfall has caused drought in many parts of the Ethiopia. In order to fast-track the hu- manitarian response to this calamity, UNFPA devel- oped a detailed operational plan for emergency Repro- Hand-over ceremony ductive Health responses as a contribution for the UNFPA handed-over on this support as part of its realization of the strategic April 11 reproductive health mandate on emergency objectives of the govern- medicines, equipment and responses in relation to ment endorsed 2016 supplies to support Basic reproductive health, HIV/ Humanitarian Requirement and Comprehensive Ob- AIDS and Gender Based Document. stetric and Newborn care Violence.” He added that services in 4 health centers UNFPA would continue The hand-over ceremony and the Sitti Zonal Hospital making these kinds of was conducted in the pres- in the . The emergency responses to ence of representatives of supplies consisted of 15 alleviate the conditions of the Somali Region Women delivery coaches, 15 beds drought affected people. and Children Affairs with mattresses, 2,600 Bureau, Health Bureau, UNFPA recently conducted clean delivery kits, 2,800 the Siti Zone, and Woreda facility based rapid as- packs of iron folate, 1,500 coordinators. sessment in five El Niño dignity kits and 8 tents. induced drought affected Speaking on the occasion, woredas of the Sitti zone. Victor Rakoto, UNFPA The humanitarian supplies Deputy Representative, that were handed-over said “UNFPA is providing were procured based on 3 A delegation of the UN... implemented in 13 locali- being made by different Genital Mutilation. The ties in the Abala District sections of communities same programme has was launched in March in the fight against child been in implementation in this year. The programme marriage and female the District for the is partly funded by the UN genital mutilation. The past 3 years. Association in Sweden delegation interacted with Meanwhile, the delegation with financial contributions various participants of the paid a visit to the Mother from corporate sponsors. programme comprising and Child Rehaibilitation of influential members During the visit the dele- Center which UNFPA is of communities, married gation was given an over- supporting through its and unmarried girls, and view on the implementa- Violence Against Women female students in the tion of the programme by Programme funded by high school in Abala Town Minawora Mohammed, the Royal Netherlands who are benefitting from Head of the Abala District Government. The Direc- the support being given Women, Children, and tor of the Center, Mrs. by the programme. Youth Affairs Office. They Jutta De Muynck, briefed also had the chance to go This programme is the the delegation about the to the implementation site first of its kind in the Afar activities of the center and of the programme where Region in integrating child they were shown around. they observed the efforts marriage and Female

UNFPA co-hosted... timeliness of data genera- to support implementa- suses. The outcome of the tion. tion of the Sustainable meeting will be used for Development Goals,” said evidence-based advocacy “The increasing data Mr. Faustin Yao, UNFPA and policy dialogue among UNFPA handed-over supplies to drought affected areas demands in new and Country Representative. key decisions makers in all emerging areas demand He added that sound strat- African countries. revolutionizing data cap- egies must be put in place ture, transfer, processing The Central Statistical to effectively leverage ICT and management method- Agency of Ethiopia and in census implementation. ologies to improve cover- UNFPA, the United Nations age and completeness, This meeting was hoped Population Fund, jointly accuracy and timeliness. to provide strategic direc- organized the meeting in This is consistent with the tion for the African region which participants from UN Secretary General’s as it prepares to implement 13 Africa Countries, Brazil Data Revolution and Data the 2020 Round of popu- and India participated. for Development tenets lation and housing cen- Resource center for students ... This initiative is part of fulfilling the information UNFPA is supporting the HIV/AIDS Prevention needs of disadvantaged the Resource Centre for and Reproductive Health students, especially those students with disabilities Information and Service with disabilities. through the resources for Communities of Higher of the UNFPA-UNICEF Mrs. Elleni Gebreamlak, Institutions project run Joint Programme on the President of AAII, said by the AAII in collabora- Right-Based Approach to “students with disabilities tion with the Addis Ababa Adolescent and Youth De- face many barriers to in- University. The center is velopment funded by the formation about HIV/AIDS, expected to benefit around Norwegian Government, Sexual and Reproductive 400 students with disabili- which is in its second Health issues, and gen- ties. phase of implementation der based violence.” She spanning 2014 to 2017. Dr. Admasu Tsegaye, noted that the resource President of the Addis center will help to lower It is to be recalled that Ababa University, said in many of these barriers UNFPA collaborated with his remarks during the increasing the capacity of AAII on the set-up of a event that the center will students with disabilities resource center for female be important in upgrading to handle a wide range of students at the Addis the capacity of the univer- activities independently. Ababa University in June sity and is instrumental in last year. 4 Women First Run 2016 held

Media roundtable in session

Participants of the run

The 13th edition of the achievements of women In addition to the mass Women First Run – the and appreciate their role in and elite athletes’ competi- annual 5km all-woman the country’s development tion the event includes the race – was held on 6 March endeavors. The race forms competitions between icon 2016. The race was held part of the series of ac- women and female ambas- under the slogan ‘Investing tivities in celebration of the sadors of countries based in Girls is investing in the International Women’s Day in Addis Ababa. Future’. More than 6 thou- on March 8. The race has The Women First Run 2016 sand participants crossed also become a stepping was started by Athlete the finishing line. stone for young, emerg- Meseret Defar, UNFPA ing female athletes some The Women First Run National Honorary Goodwill of whom have eventually is held with the aim of Ambassador in Ethiopia and become Olympic or World giving recognition to the other invited dignitaries. Champions.

Upcoming events

International Day of the Midwife, May 5 International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, May 23

Delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled UNFPA – Because everyone counts

We’re on the web http://ethiopia.unfpa.org