UNFPA Representative Dr Oluremi Sognuro welcomed in his office in Baghdad today Mr Christopher Reltien, the newly appointed Head of the EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) mission in Iraq.

The discussions focused on the bilateral efforts and the EU’s support for the reproductive health and gender-based violence interventions led by UNFPA and how to better serve the women and girls across Iraq. The talks also tackled the funding challenges as the country transitions from the humanitarian context while the humanitarian needs remain significant.

Mr Reltien highlighted the importance of protection, especially in the fields of reproductive health and gender-based violence prevention and mitigation. He also expressed the EU’s interest in raising awareness on reproductive health education in the different governorates, beginning in Kerbala.

Dr Sogunro expressed his gratitude for the EU’s long-standing trust in UNFPA in Iraq which translated into a contribution of EUR 23.5 million since 2015 in support of the Fund's humanitarian interventions. He also briefed the new ECHO representative in Iraq on the ECHO-funded projects, especially those in Mosul, and on the progress made in the Iraq 2020 Census’s preparations.

They also emphasized the importance of family planning in the development and prosperity of Iraq, reiterating their commitment to work with the Government of Iraq to strengthen the reproductive health sector so that no women or girls are left behind.

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact:

Salwa Moussa, Communications Specialist, smoussa@unfpa.org

About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO):

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid.  Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.         

Through the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.