Despite the widespread disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Annual report shows how UNFPA India made significant progress towards achieving the Three Transformative Results of zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.

From improving the capacities of auxiliary and midwife nurses and medical staff, expanding the choice of contraceptives in India working at the policy level to addressing the scourge of child marriage through communications campaigns and peer-to-peer mentoring programmes, we continued to work with the Government, sister United Nation agencies, the private sector, non-profit and civil society organisations to protect and uphold sexual and reproductive health and rights, and address gender-based violence.

Responding to the devastating second wave of COVID-19 in the country, UNFPA stepped outside of its usual role to furnish needed personal protective equipment and spread messages on COVID-19 prevention and mitigation. Our outreach expanded beyond our usual topics of family planning and women’s empowerment to encompass COVID prevention and response, especially as it affected our target audience of girls and women of reproductive age.