Addis Ababa, June 11, 2026 (Horn News Hub)
A delegation from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), led by the organization’s Ethiopia Representative, Mr. Sk Kouame, visited the Afar Region to review development initiatives implemented in partnership with the Afar Regional Bureau of Women and Social Affairs and other regional institutions.
During the visit, the delegation toured a women’s shelter (Safe House) established by the regional government and received briefings on ongoing programs aimed at improving the lives of women and girls. The delegation commended the efforts being undertaken to provide protection, social support, and economic opportunities for vulnerable women and girls across the region.
According to Fatuma Mohammed, Head of the Afar Regional Bureau of Women and Social Affairs, the visit provided an opportunity to assess the progress of joint initiatives between the bureau and UNFPA and to discuss priority areas for future collaboration. She noted that the partnership has contributed to strengthening services designed to improve the well-being and empowerment of women and girls in the region.
Officials highlighted several areas of cooperation between the regional government and UNFPA, including support for women’s shelters through the provision of professional personnel and essential equipment, assistance to district offices affected by conflict, and financial support for efforts to prevent female genital mutilation and child marriage.
Additional interventions include the provision of educational materials for students, tutorial and computer training programs for boarding school students, and community engagement initiatives involving religious and clan leaders to help address harmful traditional practices.
In the area of economic empowerment, regional officials pointed to the achievements of 13 women’s associations established with UNFPA support. Among them is a goat-trading cooperative in Mille town, which has reportedly contributed to improving the incomes, decision-making roles, and educational opportunities of its members and their families. The cooperative is increasingly being cited as a model for similar community-based initiatives.
As part of the visit, UNFPA Country Representative Sk Kouame also held discussions with Afar Regional State President Haji Awol Arba on strengthening healthcare services and expanding access to maternal and reproductive health services throughout the region. The discussions focused on the expansion of Mobile Health and Nutrition Clinics and other interventions intended to improve healthcare access in remote and underserved communities.
UNFPA noted that the Afar Region continues to face complex humanitarian and development challenges. The organization, however, acknowledged the regional leadership’s efforts to pursue locally adapted solutions aimed at improving the well-being of communities across the region.
During the meeting, UNFPA handed over medical equipment and supplies valued at more than USD 67,000 to support the Afar Regional Health Bureau and the Bureau of Women and Social Affairs. The support package included ultrasound machines, dignity kits, and emergency obstetric care materials intended to strengthen healthcare delivery and maternal health services.
The UNFPA delegation expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the organization and the Afar Regional State and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting programs that advance the health, protection, and socio-economic empowerment of women and girls.
The field visit concluded in Mille town, where the delegation met members of the women-led goat-trading association. Observers said the visit underscored the importance of continued investment in women’s empowerment, healthcare access, and social development initiatives in the Afar Region.
