UN seeks $1.2b for women next year

The United Nations issued an appeal on Tuesday for $1.2 billion to provide health care for women and girls, in particular those in war zones like Ukraine.

The United Nations Population Fund, which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide, asked for that money for next year as it seeks to help women in 65 countries, including ones enduring conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen.

The appeal represents a small amount of the record $51.5 billion that UN agencies requested earlier this month to address humanitarian needs next year for 230 million people. These needs have become more acute because of the war in Ukraine, the effects of climate change and the risk of famine in Africa.

"When crisis strikes, women and girls face a heightened risk of sexual violence, exploitation and abuse," the population fund's director Natalia Kanem said in a report.

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She said that this year her agency provided life-saving assistance to more than 30 million women, girls and young people "including services and supplies for emergency obstetric care to prevent maternal and newborn deaths, family planning and emergency contraception, prevention of and response to sexual violence, including the clinical management of rape."

But, she added, "needs are growing and gaps remain."

The agency said the top eight countries in order of need for women and girls are Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia.