Treasury Associate

Egypt could cut maternal deaths, save $179m with midwifery scale-up plan. Egypt could sharply reduce maternal and newborn deaths while saving up to $179 million annually by expanding midwifery services, according to a feasibility study discussed by health officials on Thursday. Egypt's Deputy Health Minister Abla El-Alfy reviewed the findings during talks with officials from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the sidelines of the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026 in Nairobi. The discussions also covered plans to scale up Egypt's midwifery programme. The study found that increasing midwifery coverage by 25 per cent could cut neonatal mortality by 25.8 per cent, fetal deaths by 15.9 per cent, and maternal mortality by 13.9 per cent. It could also prevent about 860,000 unplanned pregnancies between 2026 and 2030, while reducing unnecessary cesarean sections by 50 per cent. The results highlight the potential for targeted healthcare investment to improve outcomes and reduce costs, as Egypt works to strengthen maternal and newborn services in partnership with international organisations. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Australia's AUD 16.5 million commitment signals lifeline amid deepening Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh. March 20, 2026 As the Rohingya humanitarian crisis enters yet another protracted and uncertain phase, the Government of Australia has pledged AUD 16.5 million in multi-year funding (2026-2028) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), marking a critical intervention at a time when global humanitarian support is rapidly declining and vulnerabilities are intensifying. This renewed commitment - Australia's third multi-year flexible funding agreement with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - targets some of the most urgent and underfunded aspects of the crisis: sexual and reproductive health services, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, and protection-focused services for women, girls, and youth across the Rohingya camps and surrounding host communities in Cox's Bazar. A Crisis of Scale and Neglect More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees remain confined in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar, alongside approximately 568,000 Bangladeshis in host communities, many of whom are themselves struggling with poverty, environmental degradation, and limited access to services. Despite the scale, the crisis has increasingly faded from global attention. Funding gaps have widened, forcing humanitarian actors to scale back essential services. The consequences are most acutely felt by women and girls, who face escalating risks of: * * * * Gender-based violence * Child marriage * Trafficking and exploitation * Lack of access to life-saving maternal and reproductive healthcare Compounding these risks are growing insecurity, climate-related disasters, and deteriorating camp conditions, all of which continue to erode already fragile protection systems. Strategic Funding in a Shrinking Humanitarian Space Australia's contribution is notable not only for its size but for its multi-year and flexible structure - a model increasingly viewed by humanitarian experts as essential in protracted crises. Unlike short-term, earmarked funding, flexible multi-year support allows agencies such as United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to: * * * * Sustain uninterrupted life-saving services * Adapt rapidly to evolving needs * Strengthen resilience among affected populations * Maintain critical protection infrastructure Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle underscored this approach, emphasizing that predictable funding is vital to "saving lives, protecting women and girls, and helping communities withstand the growing pressures of displacement, insecurity, and climate-related shocks." Frontline Services: A Lifeline for Women and Girls United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) continues to play a central role in the Rohingya response, operating a wide network of: * * * * Reproductive health facilities * Women-friendly safe spaces * Adolescent and youth centres Through these platforms, the agency delivers an integrated package of services, including: * * * * Emergency obstetric and midwifery care * Clinical management of rape * Psychosocial counseling and trauma support * Voluntary, rights-based family planning * Distribution of dignity kits * Protection and empowerment programs Over the past three years, with Australian support, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reached approximately 340,000 women and girls, including over 7,500 persons with disabilities, contributing to measurable improvements, including reductions in maternal mortality within the camps. Gendered Vulnerabilities and Protection Gaps Despite these efforts, humanitarian actors warn that systemic protection gaps persist. Overcrowding, lack of privacy, weak law enforcement, and limited accountability mechanisms continue to expose Rohingya women and girls to abuse. Experts caution that interruptions in services - particularly reproductive healthcare and GBV response - can have immediate and life-threatening consequences, including preventable maternal deaths, untreated trauma, and increased exploitation. Catherine Breen-Kamkong, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Bangladesh, described the funding as "timely and strategic," stressing that in a crisis of this magnitude, continuity of care is not optional - it is life-saving. Accountability, Sustainability, and the Limits of Aid While Australia's contribution provides a critical buffer, analysts emphasize that humanitarian funding alone cannot resolve the Rohingya crisis. Key structural challenges remain unresolved: * * * * Absence of safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation pathways * Ongoing statelessness and denial of rights in Myanmar * Increasing donor fatigue and global funding competition * Environmental and socio-economic strain on host communities The Joint Response Plan (JRP), which this funding supports, continues to face chronic underfunding year after year, raising concerns about the sustainability of even basic services. A Critical Moment for International Responsibility Australia's renewed engagement sends an important signal at a time when international attention is waning. However, humanitarian actors warn that isolated commitments - no matter how significant - are insufficient without broader global burden-sharing and political action. The Rohingya crisis remains fundamentally a protection and accountability crisis, rooted in unresolved violations of international law and the continued denial of rights in Myanmar. Without sustained international pressure, expanded funding commitments, and concrete pathways toward durable solutions, the risk is clear: a generation of Rohingya women and girls left in perpetual vulnerability, dependency, and neglect.

From silence to healing: lifesaving fistula repair campaign transforms lives of Women in Hard-to-Reach Communities. Six women suffering from obstetric fistula have successfully undergone free repair surgery at Baptist Hospital Mutengene during the latest phase of the ongoing fistula repair campaign organized under the partnership between the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) and UNFPA, with funding support from ECHO. The surgeries were carried out over the weekend by a specialized medical team led by Dr. Ngock George, bringing renewed hope to women who had lived for years with the devastating effects of untreated childbirth injuries. Some of the cases required more complex procedures, leading to the referral of four patients to Mbingo Baptist Hospital for further surgical management to ensure safe and complete treatment. The campaign is being conducted in both Mbingo Baptist Hospital in the North-West Region and Baptist Hospital Mutengene in the South-West Region. This approach allows patients from different parts of the crisis-affected regions to access treatment more easily despite ongoing insecurity and transportation challenges. The latest surgeries add to earlier successful repairs carried out late last year, and to more than sixteen cases that have already been treated at Mbingo Baptist Hospital since October 2025 under the same project, with beneficiaries reporting significant improvement in their health and social well-being. Part of a Lifesaving SRH and GBV Response in Hard-to-Reach Communities The fistula repair campaign is part of the project titled: Delivering Lifesaving Integrated and Holistic Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services to Women and Girls in Hard-to-Reach Conflict-Affected Localities in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon. The project is implemented in CBCHS health facilities in Ndu, Finkwi, Ashong, Kumba, and Ekondo-Titi, where access to essential health services has been severely affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Under the 2025 UNFPA-CBCHS work plan, the initiative seeks to strengthen the delivery of SRH and GBV services to vulnerable populations by improving the capacity of health facilities, supporting skilled medical teams, and increasing community awareness on maternal health. The intervention has contributed to increased uptake of SRH services and efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths in underserved communities. A Preventable Condition That Still Affects Women in Crisis Settings Obstetric fistula is a severe childbirth injury caused mainly by prolonged obstructed labour without timely medical intervention. The condition creates an abnormal opening between the birth canal and nearby organs, resulting in continuous leakage of urine or feces. Women living with fistula often suffer not only physically but also socially, as the condition may lead to stigma, isolation, marital separation, and loss of livelihood. In conflict-affected and remote communities, delays in reaching health facilities due to insecurity, poverty, and lack of skilled birth attendants increase the risk of such complications. Factors such as early pregnancy, malnutrition, limited antenatal care, and poor access to emergency obstetric services continue to make women in low-resource settings particularly vulnerable, even though obstetric fistula is almost entirely preventable with quality maternal healthcare. Restoring Health, Dignity, and Hope Beyond surgery, the fistula repair campaign helps women regain their dignity and reintegrate into their families and communities. Successful treatment allows beneficiaries to resume normal social life, participate in economic activities, and rebuild their confidence after years of isolation. Community sensitization activities carried out alongside the medical intervention help reduce stigma, encourage early health-seeking behavior, and promote safe motherhood practices, which are essential to preventing future cases. Strong Partnership Supporting Vulnerable Women and Girls The continued success of the fistula repair campaign highlights the importance of collaboration between CBCHS, UNFPA, and ECHO in delivering lifesaving Sexual and Reproductive Health services to women and girls living in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected areas. Through this partnership, specialized care is being brought closer to vulnerable populations, ensuring that even in times of crisis, women can access the treatment they need to live healthy and dignified lives. For many beneficiaries, the surgery marks not only the end of years of suffering, but the beginning of a new life filled with hope. Post Views: 41 Share the Post: By Fru Rita Ngum