UNFPA, EUROPEAN UNION SIGN 22 MILLION EURO AGREEMENT

(Reissued as received.)

NEW YORK, 28 March (UNFPA)–- UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the European Union signed an agreement yesterday for a 22 million euro, three-year Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia, which will be implemented in seven countries.

The European Union will provide 18.5 million of the total of 22.24 million euros.  The UNFPA, with overall responsibility for implementing the initiative, will contribute 1.85 million euros.  Another 1.85 million euros is expected from executing non-governmental organizations.  The new initiative will be implemented in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam.

“The lives of countless Asian youth will be touched and saved by this initiative to provide them with the health services needed to avoid HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancies and other serious problems”, said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the UNFPA’s Executive Director.  “I join millions of Asian youth in expressing profound gratitude for the generosity of the European Union and all its members.  Their generosity will provide hope to millions of young persons as they navigate the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood”.

The new European Union/UNFPA Initiative will support peer counselling and promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.  It will also help improve access to youth-oriented reproductive health services and build the capacity of local non-governmental organizations to meet young persons’ health needs.  The Initiative will serve vulnerable youth in and out of school, street children, factory workers, rural migrants and sex workers.

Only last year, the UNFPA signed a similar agreement with the European Union for 20 million euros to help 10 African and Caribbean countries with very high maternal death ratios, rising HIV/AIDS rates, and lack of basic reproductive health-care services.

The UNFPA is the world’s largest multilateral source of population assistance.  Since it became operational in 1969, it has provided about $6 billion to developing countries to meet reproductive health needs and support development efforts.

For more information, contact: Abubakar Dungus, Tel.:  +1 (212) 297-5031, e-mail:  dungus@unfpa.orgor visit the UNFPA’s Web site at www.unfpa.org.

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