The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, announced on July 8, 2026, that Professor Serigne Magueye Gueye of Senegal will receive the individual United Nations Population Award, while the institutional prize will be awarded to the Fondation Bonne Action Umugiraneza of Burundi.

The annual award recognizes significant contributions to advancing reproductive health and addressing population growth challenges. Professor Gueye has dedicated decades to treating women affected by obstetric fistula, a largely preventable childbirth injury that can cause incontinence and social isolation. Beyond performing life-changing surgeries, he has trained surgeons from over 45 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, expanding access to specialized care in the region.

Speaking to UN News, Professor Gueye emphasized that preventing new cases remains the greatest challenge. He called for stronger health systems and universal access to emergency obstetric care, including timely caesarean sections, as essential steps toward eliminating obstetric fistula by 2030. He also highlighted the vital role of communities in identifying affected women, overcoming stigma, supporting treatment, and aiding social and economic reintegration.

At the award ceremony held at UN Headquarters, Secretary-General António Guterres, in a message delivered by UNFPA’s Deputy Executive Director Diene Keita, noted that demographic shifts are reshaping the world and require collective responses, especially in relation to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the Pact for the Future.

Professor Gueye accepted the award as a recognition of the collective effort to make health the foundation of societies, stating it was on behalf of all who believe a resilient population is one with health, autonomy, and dignity. Burundi’s First Lady, Angeline Ndayishimiye, who leads the Bonne Action Umugiraneza Foundation, described receiving the United Nations recognition as "both a privilege and a responsibility."

Notable remarks from the ceremony included reflections that "Behind each operation, there is a story," and that the award "inspires us to pursue our mission to even greater determination."

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