Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dame Billie Miller and a New York-based non-governmental organisation are the recipients of this
year's United Nations

Population Award.

Dame Billie and Family Care International (FCI) were chosen from among 11 individual and seven institutional nominees from around the world.

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

Dame Billie was the first woman to be named minister in Barbados. In addition to holding numerous ministerial portfolios, she has been promoting population and gender issues in several capacities.

In 2004, she was honoured by International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region for her lifelong contributions to sexual and reproductive health.

Established in New York in 1986, FCI has been helping to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women in the developing world by promoting sexual and reproductive health for adolescents. It also works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The awards will be presented at UN Headquarters in New York on May 22. (UN)