The Prime Minister of Iceland Bjarni Benediktsson has extolled the fruitful partnership between Iceland and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) saying this has helped to improve maternal health and the fight against obstetric fistula in Malawi. Mr. Benediktsson was speaking during the 9th African Population Conference in Lilongwe.
We are proud of the work we have done with UNFPA in Malawi to enhance maternal care, including our work to end obstetric fistula
"Our efforts here and in other partner countries have yielded impressive results for women and girls who have received treatment and social reintegration assistance," he remarked.
The Prime Minister added that the partnership with UNFPA has played a critical role in advancing gender equality by ensuring access to reproductive health care services.
"By providing comprehensive solutions, we are not only working to eradicate obstetric fistula but also supporting the elimination of female genital mutilation and cutting, which remains a significant challenge for women and girls worldwide," he stated, expressing a sense of urgency for faster progress towards the 2030 elimination target.
Mr. Benediktsson highlighted the remarkable achievements in Malawi, particularly in the Mangochi District, where Iceland's investment of K20.7 billion over two decades has coincided with a 53 percent decrease in under-five mortality rate and a 31 percent decrease in maternal mortality since 2012.
The Iceland-UNFPA partnership in Malawi has brought transformative changes in Mangochi, one of the districts the two partners collaborated in a sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) project. The collaboration focused on empowering adolescent girls and women with knowledge and skills on SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV), enabling informed decision-making and the exercise of their rights.
A key milestone of this partnership is the establishment of the Lilja Fistula and One Stop Center, which has revolutionized access to fistula care and GBV services by providing specialized facilities closer to the community.
Building on this success, the "Bridging Hope: Empowering Women with Obstetric Fistula in Nkhotakota" project was launched in October 2023. This initiative, funded by the Icelandic government and implemented by UNFPA, aims to ensure universal access to quality obstetric fistula care and social reintegration for affected women and girls. The project is expected to directly benefit over 2,000 individuals, including 459 fistula survivors, and indirectly support an estimated 117,391 people in the district.
"The impressive results achieved in Malawi through our partnership serve as a testament to the power of collaboration and the profound difference it can make in the lives of women and girls," affirmed the Prime Minister, inspiring hope for continued progress and strengthened partnerships with UNFPA.
