Latest news with #Saberton
United News of India
16-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
500 health centres in Afghanistan face potential closure due to US aid cut, warns UNFPA
Kabul, May 16 (UNI) Andrew Saberton, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has warned that a recent $102 million reduction in US aid will deprive 6.9 million Afghan women and children of critical healthcare services. This budget cut is set to cause a significant disruption to UNFPA's operations in the country, with 500 out of 900 health centres facing potential closure. Speaking to reporters in New York after visiting several provinces in Afghanistan, Saberton described the consequences as 'devastating". He stressed that, despite often being overlooked in global media, Afghanistan's ongoing humanitarian crisis remains one of the world's largest, reports Khaama News. During his visit, Saberton toured UNFPA-supported health centres in Kabul, Bamiyan, and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where the organisation plays a crucial role in providing healthcare to vulnerable populations. According to Saberton, the US has slashed approximately $330 million from its global UNFPA budget, with $102 million earmarked for Afghanistan. These funds had been directed towards essential family health services and mobile care units, which are vital in a country suffering from one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally. They also supported critical psychological and social assistance programmes, particularly for women and children, who rely on these services for their survival. The aid cut is especially damaging for Afghanistan, as the war-torn country remains in dire straits despite international efforts. The situation is further exacerbated by Washington's freezing of Afghanistan's assets, following Taliban's return to power in 2021. While the US did release over $3.5 million worth funds, and Afghanistan has seen some modest economic growth in recent years, the country still greatly lacks both funds and infrastructure to tackle the multitude of problems it faces. With the international community's attention often diverted elsewhere, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the broader conflict in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas war, the already fragile Afghan healthcare system is facing collapse. Saberton reiterated that UNFPA remains committed to its operations in Afghanistan, though he cautioned that the reduction in resources would make it increasingly difficult to meet the rising needs of the population. The closure of health clinics and the loss of life-saving services will disproportionately affect women and children, worsening an already dire situation. As Afghanistan continues to struggle, it is more crucial than ever for the international community to reinstate funding and support initiatives like UNFPA's. Without adequate resources, the future of Afghanistan's most vulnerable populations remains uncertain, and the global effort to alleviate this crisis could falter. UNI ANV RN
Kuwait News Agency
15-05-2025
- Health
- Kuwait News Agency
UN Population Fund warns of funding cut impact on Afghanistan
NEW YORK, May 15 (KUNA) -- An official of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warned of the impacts of humanitarian funding cut on Afghanistan, saying that the recent U.S. decision to cut funding by more than USD 330 million has seriously affected Afghanistan. The United States has recently announced cuts of approximately USD 330 million to UNFPA worldwide, USD 102 million of which will directly impact UNFPA's work in Afghanistan, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton in a press statement at the UN late Wednesday. Most of this funding would have been used towards the provision of family health and mobile care, both of which are essential in Afghanistan, which already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, he added. This funding would also have gone towards the providing much needed psychosocial support, Saberton added. He estimated that 6.9 million women and children in Afghanistan would be affected by the cuts, noting that the UNFPA would only be able to support approximately 400 of the current 900 health clinics that it supports in Afghanistan, each of which provides life-saving care. However, he underlined that the UNFPA would be staying to deliver, but said, "we need urgent support to keep these services running and to protect the dignity, health and lives of Afghan women and newborns". (end)
National News
22-02-2025
- Politics
- National News
UNFPA Deputy Executive Director visits Lebanon and meets with the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and First Lady
NNA - Beirut, 22 February 2025 – During his two-day visit to Lebanon, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton met with the newly appointed Prime Minister for Lebanon, Nawaf Salam, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Joe Rajji, and the First Lady of Lebanon, Neemat Aoun, in her capacity as President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW). Saberton also visited a UNFPA-supported primary healthcare center and safe space in Tyre, South Lebanon, where he met with women and girls impacted by the recent hostilities in Lebanon. Both facilities were damaged during the conflict and are currently being rehabilitated. During his visit, Saberton congratulated the Prime Minister on the formation of a new government and expressed UNFPA's readiness to support its reform, recovery, and reconstruction framework. This includes enhancing access to much-needed lifesaving reproductive health and protection services, while focusing on rehabilitating systems, strengthening local capacities, and implementing a coordinated strategy that ensures women, girls, and youth are at the center of an inclusive recovery process. In parallel, Saberton and the First Lady underscored the disproportionate impact of Lebanon's multifaceted crises on women and girls, and the importance of continued collaboration to promote reforms that put women and girls at the center of the response, particularly those affected by displacement and economic instability. Saberton reiterated UNFPA's longstanding partnership with the NCLW and its commitment in supporting its institutional capacity and strategic initiatives to 'advance gender equality, restore critical services, and foster resilience with a focus on the needs of women, girls, and youth to promote peace and transformational development'. For over 30 years, UNFPA has been a steadfast partner in Lebanon, working closely with the government, civil society, and other organizations to enhance the lives of the most vulnerable. UNFPA's focus remains on delivering lifesaving services and empowering communities for a sustainable future, while ensuring no one is left behind. ============
