In December 2001, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) appointed Her Royal Highness Princess Basma, as Goodwill Ambassador.


Her invitation to support the global work of the UNFPA was due to her active involvement in this field at the national level, through the Higher Population Council (HPC) and the Jordanian Association for Family Planning and Protection.  Her deep involvement in the reform of the HPC and development of Jordan’s National Population Programme included significant highlights like the launch of Jordan’s first National Population Strategy in 1996.

Her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador was also in recognition of her efforts both at the local and international levels to further women and sustainable development initiatives. She joins the UNFPA in its mission to promote the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.

On announcing Her Royal Highness’s appointment, UNFPA’s Executive Director, Thoraya Obaid stated, "Princess Basma’s dedication to the health and well-being of women and children has inspired many who work in his field, and helped improve the quality of life of women and children not only in Jordan, but also in the Arab region and the world."

As UNFPA’s Goodwill Ambassador, Her Royal Highness launches the ‘State of World Population Report’ on the annual celebration of the World Population Day in Jordan.  During the event, the Princess gives a keynote address that highlights local information and statistics to help bring attention to that year’s theme.
 

Operational since 1969, the UNFPA is the world’s largest multilateral source of population assistance. The UN agency supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.