Years ago, at a gynaecologist’s office in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Alia (name changed) and her husband were advised that it was “undesirable” for them to have a child because they were both blind. “How will you be able to take care of a child? How will you raise them, watch them?” she recalls being asked. “They thought we wouldn’t be able to cope at all and suggested having an abortion,” Alia tells UNFPA. “But I di...

People from the most vulnerable groups, including those from the Roma and Egyptian communities, face difficulties accessing health care in Albania, and improvements have been slow for the most marginalized. With UNFPA support, health mediators are working to increase access to health care services, including sexual and reproductive health services, for those left behind.

People living with HIV in Georgia often face difficulties accessing health care and other services because of widespread misconceptions and stigma. UNFPA is working to increase awareness and understanding, especially among young people, so that people with HIV can live free from discrimination and everyone feels safe seeking out information, testing and treatment.