Early Action in Extreme Situations

UNFPA works with governments, other UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to meet the emergency reproductive health needs of refugees, the internally displaced, and others affected by crisis. Since 1994, UNFPA has supported emergency projects in more than 50 countries and territories.
Rapid response to emergencies includes the immediate shipment of supplies and equipment to enable pregnant women to deliver safely. When the situation stabilizes, UNFPA Humanitarian Response helps lay the groundwork for future human development - by supporting reproductive health services to promote safe motherhood, adolescent reproductive health, and access to condoms. Interventions also address violence against women and the transmission of sexually-transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.

UNFPA provides funding, technical assistance and direct support including:

Heightened risk, greater need

The impact of armed conflict or natural disaster on reproductive health can be devastating, particularly for women and children.

Women and children account for more than 75 per cent of the refugees and displaced persons at risk from war, famine, persecution and natural disaster.
Women of reproductive age comprise a quarter of the at-risk population. One in five is likely to be pregnant.
Many women forced to flee were already poor or otherwise vulnerable in the first place. Away from their partners and their communities, alone with their children, their vulnerability to sexual exploitation and violence is even higher.
Vulnerability to natural disasters is increasing, exacerbated by poverty and environmental destruction. At least 90 per cent of the victims of natural disasters live in developing countries.
Source: http://www.unfpa.org/emergencies/earlyaction.htm