Friends of UNFPA is a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, headquartered in New York, that supports the work of the
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies a ...
(UNFPA), the sexual and reproductive health and rights agency of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
. Friends of UNFPA advances UNFPA's work by mobilizing funds and action for the organization.
The organization was founded in 1998 to raise political and financial support within the United States for UNFPA. Initially known as Americans for UNFPA, the non-profit changed to its current name in 2012 to reflect its global scope.
Work
UNFPA works in 155 countries to ensure that women and girls everywhere have access to
reproductive healthcare. In particular, UNFPA works to end preventable
maternal death, provide
family planning, and end
gender-based violence Gender-related violence or gender-based violence includes any kind of violence directed against people due to their gender or gender identification.
Types of gender-related violence include:
* Violence against women (sometimes referred to simply a ...
, including practices like
child marriage
Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between a child under a certain age – typically 18 years – and an adult or another child.
*
*
*
* The vast majority of child marriages are between a female child and a mal ...
and
female genital mutilation. UNFPA improves maternal health by increasing access to voluntary family planning, training
birth attendants, and increasing access to emergency
obstetric care. UNFPA assists countries in forecasting and supplying their needs for
contraceptives,
condoms
A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of inte ...
, and other reproductive health supplies. Each year, the organization provides 500 million couples with contraception.
Fundraising
Friends of UNFPA mobilizes funds towards UNFPA’s worldwide programs and services as well as their campaigns such as Maternal Health Thematic Fund, Campaigns for Fistula and Humanitarian Relief.
Leadership
Officers of the Board of Directors:
*Jacob Onufrychuk (Chair of the Board), Senior Manager, Breakthru Beverage Group.
*Mari Simonen (Vice Chair of the Board, Nominating Committee Chair), Former Special Adviser to the Executive Director of UNFPA.
*Connie Smith (Development & Communications Committee Chair Secretary) Speech pathologist and Co-founder of the Global Neighborhood Fund.
*Monica Parekh (Treasurer) Senior Corporate Analyst at American Century Investments.
References
{{reflist
External links
friendsofunfpa.org
United Nations Population Fund