As the National Emergency Medical Services Referral Coordinator in the capital city of Freetown, Lt. Moiwo has to juggle national ambulance services, clinicians at hospitals, treatment centres and isolation units, and psychosocial assistance for patients and their families. She also disseminates test results and updates a national database on COVID-19.
Women are in public decision-making roles more than ever before, but equality is far off: women hold only about 21 percent of ministerial positions globally, and only 22 countries are headed by a woman. At the current rate of progress, gender equality will not be reached among Heads of Government until 2150, another 130 years.
Yet, women persist, and continue to prove that when they lead, they bring transformative change to their communities and the world. Such change is vital in an era of COVID-19, climate change, deepening inequalities, conflict and democratic backsliding.
Thanks to collective efforts and the safe classroom and remote learning models set in place, more than a million students returned to school in Costa Rica. With the United Nations' support, Costa Rica has become one of the first countries to open its educational institutions on time, providing security and inclusion for thousands of children, adolescents, and young people.
Today, the United Nations Joint SDG Fund announces a US$41 million portfolio to catalyze strategic financing to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The allocation expands the Joint SDG Fund’s investments to date to US$223 million, encompassing programming in 112 countries for Integrated Social Protection and SDG Investments.
UN country teams across the world are playing a critical role as they support local and national authorities to rollout vaccination efforts. They are also taking immediate and proactive measures to curtail the rise of Ebola cases in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea.
From deploying robots to procuring and delivering vaccines worldwide, UN country teams are tirelessly supporting local and national authorities in the fight against COVID-19.
Cape Verde has recently introduced a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) for children and adolescents. The human papillomavirus (HPV), transmitted through sexual contact, is responsible for 70 per cent (%) of cervical cancer cases registered worldwide.
The fight against COVID-19 continues and so does the work of our UN country teams worldwide. Teams are delivering medical and personal protective equipment, aiding authorities in national vaccination roll-outs, and helping with overall recovery and response. Today, we highlight some of those efforts.
