He Termed Himself An ‘Honorary Woman’: Remembering A U.N. Crusader

Enlarge this imageDr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the pinnacle from the United Nations Population Fund, died this 7 days at age 68.Tristan Fewings/Getty Visuals for United Nationshide captiontoggle captionTristan Fewings/Getty Photographs for United NationsDr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the pinnacle with the United Nations Populace Fund, died this week at age 68.Tristan Fewings/Getty Photographs for United NationsHe was a planet leader who wasn’t a family name. But he certainly made an influence being an advocate with the sexual and reproductive legal rights of ladies and ladies. Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, govt director with the U.N. Populace Fund, died on Sunday night at his house. “Our world dropped a great winner of well-being for all, primarily girls & ladies,” tweeted U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Related NPR Stories Citing Abortions In China, Trump Cuts Funds For U.N. Family Planning Agency April 4, 2017 The Nigerian doctor, 68, had led the UNFPA since 2011. The year that he was appointed, an article in The Lancet produced it clear how this father of five was guided by le sons from his own parenthood. He told how his children “teach me about their own lives” and how he was going to let the world’s young people teach him in his new job: “Too often we imagine that we know what young people Nick Castellanos Jersey need” but to his mind, adults need to “listen and experience, to learn about our children, our ability to allow them their space.” That Miguel Cabrera Jersey philosophy guided his work at UNFPA. “Family planning is not a privilege but a right. Yet, too many females and men are denied this human right,” Osotimehin said in 2012.He sought to eliminate preventable maternal deaths and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. And he aimed to ensure acce s to family planning for all. “…wherever I travel, I continue to meet females and girls who tell me they are unable to exercise their right to family planning and end up having more children than they intend, burdening them economically, harming their health, and undermining opportunities for a better life for themselves and their families,” Osotimehin wrote in a 2012 report.”The international community produced a commitment in 1994 to all gals, men and young people to protect their rights as individuals to make one of life’s most fundamental decisions. It is high time we lived up to that commitment and made voluntary family planning available to all.”YouTube In 2015, a UNFPA program helped about 18 million girls get modern contraceptives and acce s reproductive health care, according to a report by the agency. Sarah Craven, director with the UNFPA office in Washington, D.C., says her bo s was kind and compa sionate to his staff. He known as her to offer condolences after her father died. “I feel like he was a fantastic friend and a mentor, and I’m going to mi s him terribly,” Craven says. Not that long ago, he talked to Craven about his own mother, telling her: “I am who I am because of my mother teaching me how important it was to honor and respect and advocate for women of all ages and ladies.” She remembers how he would proudly identify as a feminist and sometimes make the comment at all-male panels that he was an “honorary woman.” That line would get laughs, she says, but it wasn’t meant as a joke. It was his way of making a point. “Here was somebody who was so supremely gifted as a physician, as a politician, and yet he had chosen to take on, really, a thankle s task to advocate for gals and ladies in the most trying and dire Al Kaline Jersey circumstances. And he did it with such pa sion and commitment and energy,” Craven says. “He will be impo sible to replace.” Osotimehin had previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Health. He was married and had five children and several grandchildren, according to UNFPA. Heidy says #peace is leaving dwelling & returning without getting raped or a saulted. RT if you agree #ViolenceAgainstWomen must end! #Youth4Peace pic.twitter.com/FO1iqEUMdw Babatunde Osotimehin (@BabatundeUNFPA) June 1, 2017 He was an active presence on social media. Just days before his death, he tweeted: