UNFPA ASIA PACIFIC CAMPAIGN 2020
SUVA & Lautoka, fiji
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Their mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.
This is UNFPA’s mission statement, when I first read it I was overwhelmed, how could this possibly be achieved?
This would require our entire global population to
“realise their reproductive rights’ and have access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services – including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.”
This is exactly what UNFPA have set out to do, with a clear vision UNFPA have implemented an actionable plan to actually achieve this envisioned future!
By working with governments and partners to promote universal access to quality, integrated sexual and reproductive health services, UNFPA promotes comprehensive sexuality education and youth leadership, which empower young people to exercise autonomy, choice and participation with regard to their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
UNFPA aims to end the unmet need for family planning globally, women can therefore choose when to have children and the time between births.
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"UNFPA has been providing support in terms of contraceptive supplies to the Pacific countries. We are also working with national partners particularly the Ministry of Health to strengthen the supply chain for family planning. Ensuring that when a woman needs a contraceptive she is able to access it based on her choice of method."
Ana Maria Leal, Humanitarian Specialist UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office
Through strengthening health systems, training health workers, educating midwives and improving access to the full range of reproductive health UNFPA helps equip governments, health systems and humanitarian partners to end preventable maternal deaths.
"Midwifery strategy in UNFPA is not only concentrated on ensuring skilled birth attendance, although it is a centrepiece of our strategy, but also midwives as partners in promoting choice. Ensuring that women get information that will empower them to make informed choices about their bodies."
Ana Maria Leal, Humanitarian Specialist UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office
UNFPA’s goal to end gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls and fight for gender equality means they work alongside policymakers, justice systems, health systems and humanitarian partners to eliminate harmful practices, including FGM and child marriage, and helps to engage men and boys to advance gender equality.
"These midwives are really a powerful force in their communities because they are the go to person, especially for women."
Ana Maria Leal, Humanitarian Specialist UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office
Working with this organisation in Fiji meant I had the incredible opportunity to sit down and interview the recently returned retired midwives who had been deployed for 10 weeks in Samoa to assist with the Measles epidemic that had ravaged the country since November of 2019.
These women are proof that passion for what you do is your greatest strength and compassion your greatest gift.
"This is what I share with midwives after delivery, when you receive that baby, you are the first hands to hold it, to impart that spirit by speaking to it, before anybody else and that is a gift."
- Unaisi Sikivou, retired Fijian midwife
"In the communities we come across so many problems with our children, the young mothers and the adults, and that's where that thinking came to that I need to know more. That's where I told myself I have to become a midwife in order to tackle these problems."
- Litea Domonakibau, retired Fijian midwife
"The nurses were very grateful to have us there and likewise the people of Samoa too, when they see us they are really happy and when we are coming off duty they still want us to stay back."
- Urmila Devi Kumar, retired Fijian midwife
"I see myself strongly as an advocate in many ways. Midwifery is to promote safe motherhood, it's not just labour ward practice it starts from prenatal, antenatal, labour, birth and postnatal."
- Tamari Duri Lalabalavu, retired Fijian midwife
“Midwife is always a passion, you should give your heart to continue to do it, the leadership is also very important you must share knowledge and skills with your counterparts"
- Meresimani Kauata, retired Fijian midwife
"I want to thank UNFPA for the support, to allow us to use our knowledge and skills again, even though we have retired, I know with this great skillset we have we can still go along way to make use of it, and we are always looking forward to it."
- Sovaia Gasau Uluimalolo, retired Fijian midwife
“The women have the right over her health and say no, I will have my child after 3 years so I can recuperate and I can have the time for the family, for myself for him, and bringing up that child holistically."
- Lavinia Cuva, retired Fijian midwife
"Having a baby is an emergency situation, that is why it is important and safer for mothers to be advised to deliver in the clinic or hospital in the presence of those who are trained."
- Kelera Rabuka, retired Fijian midwife
"As a whole you see a person as a whole. My role is very important to the whole of the family not just to the mother herself but to the babies, even extended families, you reassure them, council them on other skills like breastfeeding, family planning and how to use the clinic, for you to be safe, contact a midwife."
- Iowana Timaleti Lau Navuase, retired Fijian midwife