UNITED NATIONS, New York, 11 July 2024 – The laureates of the 2024 United Nations Population Award are the National Alliance to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage in Ethiopia in the institution category and H.E. Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, in the individual category.
The work of the National Alliance to End Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage in Ethiopia, established in 2012, has been a true reflection of the power of partnerships in action to improve the lives and well-being of women and girls. Consisting of government and non-governmental institutions, faith-based organisations, research institutions, development partners and UN agencies, the Alliance seeks to synergize national efforts to end child, early, and forced marriages and FGM in Ethiopia. It has mobilised its networks to transform norms and bring about behavioural change, advocate for and ensure that legislation around harmful practices is better enforced, and improve provision of services to support women and children affected by harmful practices. The Alliance has also actively supported the sharing of research, knowledge and best practices amongst its networks to promote evidence-based interventions to prevent harmful practices in Ethiopia, including through the expansion of a national data and management information system.
H.E. Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, currently the Assistant Secretary-General (Social Affairs Sector), of the League of Arab States, has been an advocate for women and girls, migrant workers, and young people for over thirty years, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to moving the human rights and gender equality agenda in the areas of policy and legislative reform. Her accomplishments have ranged from heading the development of the first ever Arab strategy on Youth Peace and Security (2023-28), which seeks to ensure the active participation of youth in decision-making, to overseeing the introduction of legal amendments that secure better protection of migrant workers, particularly women, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. She also established the Arab Council for Population and Development in 2019, the first-ever body that aims to unify efforts in finding comprehensive solutions to the population and development challenges facing the Arab region.
In 2024, the committee for the award is chaired by Rawa Zogbhi, Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations, and is composed of representatives of nine other UN Member States. The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs represents the UN Secretary-General in the committee, and UNFPA serves as the secretariat.
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