UNFPA has been supporting women and girls after the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye since day one. UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Director Florence Bauer visited the affected areas and met with survivors, came together with public officials and partners to strengthen access of women and girls to health and protection services in order to address their urgent essential needs.

Two devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye on February 6 affected 9 million people directly, and almost half of them are women and girls. UNFPA has been on the ground since day one to ensure women’s and girls’ access to basic health and protection services in coordination with public institutions and with the support of its partners. UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Director Florence Bauer visited the affected areas and met with survivors, UN representatives, health officials, public institutions and partners to review the situation, hear the needs and observe the assistance that UNFPA has been providing.

On March 15 and 16, Florence Bauer and the UNFPA team visited 4 affected provinces in the region; Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa. They also assessed the newly emerging needs Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa that were also hit by heavy floods. 

During her visit, Florence Bauer came together with Fatma Şahin, Gaziantep Mayor and former Minister of Family and Social Services, Davut Gül, the Governor of Gaziantep, and Ömer Faruk Coşkun, Governor of Kahramanmaraş, to strengthen collaboration and support the government’s efforts in the region.

Bauer also met with Dr. Erdoğan Öz, the Provincial Health Director of Adıyaman, which is one of the most severely damaged cities. According to recent UN data, there are 2.4 million women of reproductive age in the earthquake zone, including 130,000 pregnant women. Bauer and the UNFPA team reviewed the health service provision in the region to increase access of women and girls to reproductive health services. Bauer stated; “We know that when natural disasters hit, women and girls are affected differently: they are at higher risk of violence, and women don’t stop being pregnant and delivering babies.” 

During her visit, Florence Bauer and the UNFPA Team visited tent settlements in Kahramanmaraş and Adıyaman, the two most affected provinces by the earthquakes. They met with survivors and listened to their stories, reviewed UNFPA’s service provision on health and protection with the support of its partner KAMER.

In Şanlıurfa, Bauer visited a Women and Girls Safe Space where UNFPA, with the support of its partner Harran University, provides SRH and GBV services, including legal and psychological counseling and referral support to women and girls. She joined a group discussion session and talked to pregnant women and new mothers affected by the earthquakes from both host and refugee communities.

Bauer said; “It is difficult to describe the truly apocalyptic level of damage and destruction the earthquakes have caused: The earthquakes didn’t only shatter buildings, but shattered the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. The pain is indescribable”. 

Five weeks after the devastating earthquakes, UNFPA continues to be on the ground with the support of its partners and in coordination with the public authorities to support women and girls.