KABUL, 29 October 2015 – The first in a series of special ‘Afghanistan Emrooz’ radio programmes that celebrate the unique partnership between the United Nations and the Afghan people has been broadcast across the country as part of the UN’s 70 ^th anniversary.

The programmes feature Afghan professionals who are making positive contributions to the life of their communities and the country. The premier episode features Sediq Rashid, Director of the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA) and Feroza Mushtari, a maternal and child health advocate.

“In Afghanistan, conflict has taken place everywhere and left villages, cities, agricultural lands and roads contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war,” said Mr. Rashid, who noted that thousands of villages are affected and national infrastructure projects impeded.

According to the United Nations Mine Action Service, although 83 per cent of minefields have been cleared, the remaining hazardous areas are enough to classify Afghanistan as one of the most contaminated in the world. On average, 33 civilians were injured or killed each month in 2015.

Maternal and child health is another big issue facing Afghanistan. There has been an almost 80 per cent decrease in maternal mortality since 2002, from 1,600 deaths for every 100,000 live births to a mortality rate of 327. This is a real achievement, yet maternal mortality in Afghanistan remains amongst the highest in the world.

UN agencies and other international partners have provided support to midwives through training and capacity-building.

“The first aim of a midwife is to be with mothers and assure them of a safe birth process,” said Ms. Mushtari.

“I think this is the most sacred and dearest job. Whenever I help a mother and she takes her baby in her arms with a smile, it is the biggest prize for me and gives me energy and motivation to work even harder,” said Ms. Mushtari.