Population fund stresses women’s key role in recovering from conflict and disasters

Far more needs to be done to tackle the reproductive health needs of women caught up in conflict and natural disasters, says the UN Fund for Population Activities.

The fund’s executive director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, told the BMJ that her agency was “alarmed” at the continuing slow progress towards achieving millennium development goal 5: to reduce maternal mortality by 75% and achieve universal access to reproductive healthcare.

She said, “Those left furthest behind are the poorest and most vulnerable,” as is the case with many other health indicators.

Ms Obaid said the release of the fund’s State of World Population report on 20 October coincides …