EngenderHealth Mourns Loss of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin

June 5, 2017—New York. EngenderHealth, a leading international women’s health organization, joins the global community in mourning the loss of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, who served as Executive Director for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and as former Minister of Health of Nigeria.

“We are deeply saddened by this unexpected news and wish to extend our sincere condolences to Dr. Osotimehin’s family and his extensive network of admirers and friends in our community. He was a giant in our sector, and an extremely impassioned and influential voice on behalf of the rights of all women and girls to live a safe, healthy, and fulfilled life, and to achieve their reproductive intentions,” said Ulla Müller, EngenderHealth’s President and CEO.

“We pay tribute to Dr. Osotimehin’s devotion to working with and for young people to improve and expand their access to lifesaving contraception and reproductive health services. He fundamentally understood what many others did not: that, unless we work with young people to meet them where they are, we miss the opportunity to ensure that girls have a chance for an education and ultimately employment—and therefore we will have failed them as we all work to eradicate poverty and transform our world.”

EngenderHealth has partnered with UNFPA on several key initiatives, and is part of the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) global partnership, which Dr. Osotimehin helped establish and lead.

“We carry forth today with heavy hearts, but inspired by the work and legacy of this great man,” Müller said. 

EngenderHealth is a leading global women’s health organization committed to working toward a world where sexual and reproductive rights are respected as human rights and women and girls have the freedom to reach their full potential. In nearly 20 countries around the world, EngenderHealth creates lasting change by training health care professionals and partnering with governments and communities to make high-quality family planning and sexual and reproductive health services available today and for all generations to come. Visit www.engenderhealth.org for more information. 

For more information, contact:

Priyanka Ghosh
Manager, Communications & Marketing
PGhosh@engenderhealth.org
Tel:  212-561-8521
Fax:  212-561-8067