At the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Our goal is to end preventable maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning, gender based violence (GBV) and harmful practices, particularly among vulnerable groups. 

UNFPA advocates for rights on dignity, body integrity and choices of fertility; as well as expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. UNFPA was established in 1969 and began working with the Government of Turkey in 1971. During the last 50 years, UNFPA in Turkey has provided support to:

• Safe motherhood and reproductive health
• Youth/adolescents health and empowerment
• Prevention of STIs including HIV
• Promotion of gender equality, and prevention of and response to gender based violence
• Humanitarian response  
• Research and data on population dynamics

UNFPA contributes to the SDG 3 (Health) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) as well as the Turkey 11th National Development Plan. In Turkey UNFPA is implementing its 7th Country Programme (2021-2025). UNFPA works in collaboration with government institutions, non-governmental organizations, private sector, universities and media.

Since the beginning of Syria conflict in 2011, UNFPA has also supported the humanitarian response efforts of Turkey, through strengthening reproductive health services and combating gender based violence. 

FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS...

UNFPA works for achieving gender equality, prevention of and response to gender based violence, preventing child, early and forced marriages, and improving access to sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services.

To achieve gender equality, UNFPA works in collaboration with public institutions, non-governmental organizations, academia, the private sector, media and celebrities and aims to increase awareness and to realize effective policy changes. UNFPA also focuses on eliminating harmful practices, including gender based violence and child, early  and forced marriages, and helps to engage men and boys to advance gender equality.

To end gender based violence, UNFPA works with policymakers, justice system, health sector, law enforcement, religious leaders, the private sector and humanitarian partners. UNFPA operates in four main areas; Protection, Prevention, Response and Policy Making. In this context, UNFPA conducts awareness raising  activities for behavioural change in the society and advocacy for policy change, strengthens the capacity of service providers and relevant staff by developing and disseminating in-service trainings, as well as supports to strengthen the legal infrastructure.

To prevent child, early and forced marriages, UNFPA works to ensure that every girl child is empowered to make their own choices and has access to a healthy life and equal education and future employment opportunities. In partnership with public institutions and civil society organizations, UNFPA conducts capacity-building, research and advocacy activities to increase awareness among public and change social norms as well as to strengthen local institutional capacities for prevention of and effective response to child marriages.

To improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services, UNFPA aims to reduce maternal and newborn health risks, unmet need for family planning and ensure the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health information and services. UNFPA also partners with the government and other stakeholders to strengthen health systems, in-service trainings for health service providers and health managers as well as improve access to the full range of reproductive health information and services.

FOR YOUTH…

UNFPA works to ensure that young people have access to the youth-friendly health and GBV services, tools, information and services necessary for them to reach their full potential. UNFPA engages young people in its work, and advocates for youth engagement in the work of others. UNFPA also promotes the meaningful participation of young people in local and international settings as well as strengthen their ability to advance human rights and development issues such as health, education and employment.

UNFPA also promotes comprehensive sexuality education and youth leadership, which empowers young people to exercise autonomy, choice and participation with regard to their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

FOR ELDERLY…

UNFPA works to raise awareness about population ageing and the need to harness its opportunities, address its challenges and ensure to provide healthy, productive, active and happy lives for elderly people.

UNFPA also supports to provide a solid base for policy making and planning, and makes sure ageing issues are integrated into national development programmes and decision making.

FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE…

To empower refugees and migrants and increase their resilience, UNFPA improves access of the most vulnerable refugees to health and protection services in Turkey, particularly to sexual and reproductive health, gender based violence prevention and response, psychosocial support and legal counseling via specialized service units. UNFPA partners with the line ministries, non-governmental organizations, other UN agencies, universities and municipalities in service provision, capacity building and advocacy efforts to ensure that refugees and migrants can reach the information and services they need in Turkey. 

To include persons with disabilities, UNFPA ensures that persons with disabilities who have limited access to health and protection services and face different forms of discrimation, are empowered to make decisions regarding their reproductive health and rights and are able to live free of discrimination and violence.

To support seasonal agricultural workers, UNFPA provides health and protection services via mobile service units in the rural areas of Turkey, in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

To reduce barriers of key groups, UNFPA provides psychosocial support, legal counselling and case-management services, including HIV pre and post test counselling  and assists access to treatment for key groups living with HIV and/or at risk of HIV.

UNFPA also presents protection services to refugee men and boys, who are survivors or at risk of sexual and gender-based violence.

By 2030, to achieve;

• Zero preventable maternal deaths, 
• Zero unmet need for family planning, 
• Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices

UNFPA WİLL LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND!

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