EDITOrial

The 3 months of August - October 2020 were marked by tireless work on several fronts by UNFPA and its partners. We have worked to achieve the 3 transformative results of UNFPA by 2030: zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet FP needs and zero gender-based violence as well as to ensure the implementation of commitments from Nairobi. We are also heavily involved in efforts to fight COVID19 at the national level in order to ensure the continuity of SRH and GBV services, especially for the most vulnerable populations. To do this, we have broadened the scope of our partners.

Thus, our fight against violence against women, one of the pillars of our program, has addressed different forms of violence, new population categories and has adopted diversified approaches. The fight against cyber violence, capacity building of the various stakeholders in the management of GBV and the introduction into university courses of a GBV module were at the heart of our interventions. We continued to support efforts to take care of women victims of violence, including migrant women, in the counseling centers and shelters of our partners.

On sexual and reproductive health, we have supported a national study to explore the determinants of the decline in contraceptive prevalence including access to SRH services at the national level. We have been able to progress on the national plan of sexual and reproductive health 2021. -2030. Improving migrants' access to information and SRH services has been another area of UNFPA intervention.

The Youth programs was a major axis in our intervention. The participation and engagement of young people were the key words both in the fight against COVID19, in the development of the communication strategy & Advocacy for the comprehensive sexuality education program and in the new five-year program of the UNFPA. We have also started a process of developing a national Youth Peace and Security strategy.

Regarding support to the response to COVID19, UNFPA continued to distribute personal protective equipment for the benefit of primary health centers, NGOs and the elderly. We have contributed to raising awareness among populations of the importance to use SRH and GBV services in times of COVID19 and compliance with health protocols as well as psycho-medico-social assistance, particularly for the most vulnerable such as the disabled, seniors and the LGBTQI community.

We are also proud that we have been able to develop the new cooperation program of UNFPA and Tunisia for the period 2021-2025 with our main partners. Program approved by the Tunisian government and which opens up new horizons of support for development and human rights in Tunisia.

I wish you a good reading!