The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) renowned State of World Population Report for 2022, named “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy,” has recently been unveiled. This document primarily focuses on contemporary issues concerning women, population, and correlated problems, and this article deciphers its key findings.
Key Findings of the State of World Population Report
The report portrays a concerning increase in unintended pregnancies globally, with approximately 121 million incidents annually between 2015 and 2019. It also sheds light on the lack of safe, modern contraception methods for an estimated 257 million women wishing to evade pregnancy.
Moreover, intimate partner violence leads to a sharp reduction in contraceptive use, which is 53% lower among affected women. Consequently, cases of rape-related pregnancies are on the rise, possibly surpassing those resulting from consensual sex.
Staggeringly, over half of unintended pregnancies, and nearly one-third of all pregnancies, culminate in abortion. About 45% of globally conducted abortions are unsafe, imposing severe health risks and costing developing countries around USD 553 million per year solely for treatment.
Impact of Humanitarian Emergencies
Disasters like the ongoing war in Ukraine, significantly disrupt access to contraception and promote sexual violence against women. Studies reveal that more than a fifth of refugee women and girls are victims of such atrocities. The initial year of the Covid-19 pandemic was quite detrimental too, inducing contraceptive service interruptions lasting three-and-a-half months on average, thus leading to nearly 1.4 million unintended pregnancies.
Contributing Factors to Unintended Pregnancies
Several reasons contribute to unintended pregnancies, including limited sexual and reproductive healthcare and information, incompatible contraceptive options, harmful norms, sexual violence, judgmental healthcare services, economic stagnation, poverty, and gender inequality.
Issues with Unintended Pregnancies
Unintended pregnancies entail serious health risks for both mother and baby, including a potential surge in postpartum depression and subsequent mental health issues. Children born from such pregnancies usually underperform academically, exhibit impaired social and emotional development, and struggle economically later in life. Furthermore, they jeopardize educational and financial prospects, imposing substantial costs on state budgets.
Suggestions for Improvement
To effectively combat unintended pregnancies, decision makers and healthcare systems must prioritize improving contraceptive accessibility, acceptability, and quality. Additionally, society must foster an environment that empowers women to make informed decisions about sex, contraception, and motherhood.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – An Overview
UNFPA, a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly, was founded as a trust fund in 1967 and started operations in 1969. Renamed as the United Nations Population Fund in 1987, it retains its original acronym ‘UNFPA’ from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. As a sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA’s mandate is established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It actively aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals on health, education, and gender equality, relying solely on voluntary contributions from governments, organizations, the private sector, foundations, and individuals for funding. The organization’s key publication is the State of World Population Report, the latest edition of which is the basis of this discussion.