Innovation
Innovations for Equality
In a rapidly changing world, UNFPA needs dynamic solutions to meet the needs of women and girls and deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. We must embrace innovation to deliver on our three transformative results to end preventable maternal deaths, end unmet need for family planning, and end violence gender-based violence and all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child, early, and forced marriage.
The UNFPA Innovation Fund has investments under four innovation thematic priorities—digital health, SRH commodities, data, and innovative finance. The fund supports small to medium innovative ventures which test, rapidly prototype, pilot, and transition to scale new solutions through the Innovation Pipeline, alongside big signature initiatives to create “global goods” for the development community on a wider scale. This collection of stories from across the Asia Pacific region illustrates how UNFPA and partners are innovating to meet the needs of women, girls and the most vulnerable.
Bangladesh: The informal settlements of Dhaka are chaotic, overcrowded and under-resourced. For pregnant women with few resources. It can be a challenge just to get to the health center for antenatal care. Even more tenuous are the links between midwives and obstetrics units in referral hospitals. UNFPA is bridging that gap and saving lives through an app that helps doctors, nurses, midwives and drivers work together as a team. READ MORE
"Sometimes, at 3 a.m., nobody would respond. So the midwife might have to go out in the street and look for a driver out there to take the family to hospital.”
-Jennifer Stevens, UNFPA Bangladesh
Timor-Leste: Dr. Eni Lila Dila works at Maubisse Referral Hospital in Timor-Leste. She knows from experience how difficult complicated births can be in a hospital that is often under-resourced. Dr. Eni took part in a 26 day obstetrics training in Dili and got to practice challenging cases using a virtual reality training platform developed by UNFPA. READ MORE
“We can learn new techniques through virtual reality: we can practice our hand movements and it can help us maintain our skills.”
-Dr Eni Lila Dila, Timor-Leste
Mongolia: Enkhmaa Baatarkhuu is 18 and lives with her son and parents in Nomgon soum of Umnugobi aimag. After graduating ninth grade Enkhmaa went to the province for her studies but she got pregnant at the start of 10th grade and left school. She recently took part in a pilot with UNFPA to try out a new way of getting information about sexual and reproductive health. She’s used the Mandukhai platform to chat and learned a lot about what services are available to girls like her. Enkhmaa would like to see Mandukhai expanded so Mongolian girls can be better informed about contraception and reproductive rights. LEARN MORE
“I didn’t have much information about contraception. I found out I was pregnant when I was three months along.”
-Enkhmaa Baatarkhuu, Mongolia
Philippines: Social media has transformed the way young people in the Philippines talk about women’s health issues like contraception and sexual rights. Candid conversations about all kinds of issues are happening online. UNFPA Philippines developed a tool to take the pulse of what young people are concerned about so public health messages can connect with the women and girls who need them most. READ MORE
“We start to see how Philippine society is changing in terms of its willingness to discuss family planning.”
-Norbie Mendoza, UNFPA Philippines
China: UNFPA China’s pilot project on comprehensive sexuality education delivered an 8-session livestreamed course that followed international guidelines and helped teachers and schools with the support they needed. The first phase delivered the online course in 5 middle schools in Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Xinzhi Hu and Xiaohong Shi were part of the team of experienced educators who presented the innovative course. LEARN MORE
“Puberty, menstruation, sexuality – people won’t talk about it. But they want to learn. In their hearts, all of them are very curious.”
-Xiaohong Shi, China
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