Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund visits Fiocruz

The executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (Unfpa), Natalia Kanem, visited Fiocruz on October 15th. During the visit, Kanem met with the president of the Foundation, Nísia Trindade Lima, and researchers in areas related to population and development.

“These are difficult times for the world and for the defense of rights, but we share values with Fiocruz and one of them is related to partnerships,” declared the executive director of Unfpa. She also emphasized the role of innovation as a priority for the strategy of both institutions.

The executive Director of Unfpa, Natalia Kanem, and the presidente of Fiocruz, Nìsia Trindade Lima
(Photo: Peter Ilicciev)

“When it comes to Brazil, Latin America and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Fiocruz plays an essential role,” said Kanem referring to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. She also mentioned the Youth Strategy 2030 recently launched by Unfpa. Themes as violence, youth and reproductive rights are among the areas of convergence for the two institutions, which have very close values.

“Fiocruz pioneered addressing violence as a matter of public health. This theme is in the institution’s agenda since 1980. We are now working with the broad concept of emergency to deal with the problem”, declared the president of the Foundation, Nísia Trindade Lima. She also emphasized the partnership with communities around Fiocruz, noting that new forms of activism and engagement are also a “social innovation”.