Global perspective Human stories

Two population experts win UN awards

Two population experts win UN awards

A leading demographer, Mercedes Concepcion, of the Philippines, and Guatemala's largest private family planning provider, Asociación Pro-Bienestar de la Familia de Guatemala (APROFAM ONG), have won this year's United Nations Population Award.

The award is presented each year to individuals and institutions for outstanding work in population and in improving the health and welfare of individuals, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

Ms. Concepcion is well known to international demographers and family planners, and her work has contributed significantly to population research and development policy in the Philippines, UNFPA says.

The APROFAM ONG, founded in 1964, is a private, not-for-profit, non-denominational organization providing reproductive health education, care and counselling to Guatemalan families. Among other things, the organization helped Guatemala with some reproductive health initiatives, such as the 2001 social development and population law, which helped create the legislative and operational framework for population and reproductive health programmes in the country.

Each winner will receive a certificate, a gold medal and an equal share of a monetary prize at a ceremony to be held in July at UN headquarters in New York.