Adolescence is the period between childhood and adulthood, marked by rapid physical growth. It is important for the adolescents to be equipped with the necessary life skills needed to navigate through life. Information on the adolescent population and where they reside is critical in social (e.g. education and health) and economic planning.

The findings of the 2014 Population Estimation Survey for Somalia (PESS) show that a majority of the population is below 35 years. The adolescent boy and girl have different roles in the community. These different roles promote or inhibit their access to social amenities such as education and health. In many instances the boy child enjoys more advantages over the girl child. Infrastructural development is not uniform in the entire country. In many developing countries, urban areas are more developed and have better access to social and economic facilities.

The graduation at Haji Abdi Midwifery School comes after another group of 20 midwives graduated from Bosaso University of Health Sciences on 20 February 2017 bringing the total number of graduates from UNFPA-supported midwifery training programme in Puntland to 40 in this year alone.

Today, on #UNDay, we would like to show you our work from a different perspective, from the UN #Somalia perspective.

The United Nations is the largest aid organization working inside Somalia today with about 1800 staff on the ground saving lives, promoting peace, helping long-term development, ensuring human rights, and much more. Carrying out this broad range of work in a unique environment such as Somalia comes at significant costs, not just financial but also for example human costs.

Across Somalia, every day approximately 10 women and babies die due to maternal health complications. To reduce the high maternal and child mortality and morbidity in Somalia, the Japanese government has been supporting UNFPA’s Health System Strengthening Project since April 2015.

The project provides assistance towards the improvement of maternal and child health facilities, hospitals and outreach clinics serving Internally Displaced Persons, the hard to reach and nomadic populations in Somalia.

The key activities of this project include provision of sexual and reproductive health services, lifesaving drugs, supplies and equipment and capacity building in clinical and management skills for health professionals both at the service delivery point and the ministries of health.

As a result of this project:

* Ciyow Midwifery Training Institute has been established. 33 students are currently enrolled.

*103,012 women and men of reproductive age were reached with birth spacing information in health facilities and outreach services. 4,639 women made an informed decision to use modern contraceptives.

* A total of 16,669 deliveries took place in health facilities with skilled birth attendants. 664 deliveries were successfully conducted through life-saving caesarean sections.

* A total of 211 obstetric fistula cases from more than 10 regions in Somalia were identified and successfully repaired through fistula campaigns in 2015,

* Three ambulances have been purchased and donated to the ministries of health to strengthen referral systems for emergency obstetric cases.