By Hamu Madzedze
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has commended partners for investing in the health and rights of women and girls worldwide.
UNFPA executive director Dr Natalia Kanem said dedicated investments in the health and rights of women and have improved over the years and this has resulted in saving millions of lives.
"Today, one third fewer women are dying from preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth than in 2000 , the number of teenage pregnancies has declined and there has been an increase in the uptake of modern contraceptives" said Dr Kanem.
She said sustained and cross cutting support for and investment in women and girls everywhere will help in achieving a brighter future for everyone.
However Dr Kanem said there is a need to increase investment in a bid to end preventable maternal deaths,eliminate unmet family planning needs , safeguard women and girls from gender-based violence and harmful practices across the globe by 2030.
"According to UNFPA analysis and academic partners an investment of $222 billion is required in transforming the lives of millions of women" she said.
The Executive Director added that with this kind of investment there will be a reduction in the number of child marriages as the girl child will be awarded an opportunity to complete her education and secure employment which translates into trillion of dollars in economic benefits for the society.
"When we invest in women and girls everyone benefits, because increasing women's participation in the workplace raises their lifetime earning potential and can boost per capita Gross Domestic Product by 20 percent per average"said Dr Kanem.
She also pointed out that investing in the societal,economic and political inclusion of women and girls will strengthen the social fabric and create a future that works for all.
Dr Kanem also applauded women around the world who are working towards gender equality in their families, homes,workplace and communities.
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