Africa position on population and development

The conference provided an opportunity for member states to have a common position on the draft report and recommendations of the regional review of the ICPD Programme of Action for Africa. (International Conference for Population and Development Programme of Action) and agreed on the linkages between the outcomes of the Africa regional review and the […]

The conference provided an opportunity for member states to have a common position on the draft report and recommendations of the regional review of the ICPD Programme of Action for Africa. (International Conference for Population and Development Programme of Action) and agreed on the linkages between the outcomes of the Africa regional review and the post-2015 development agenda.
It is important as Africans, commentators and development workers we maintain vigilance in this kind of declaration and resolution because even if we remain unperturbed, it is such meetings outcomes and many others that shape funding, new policies and programmes which will have an overall impact to the growth and development of Africa.
The African Ministers had held their assembly from 3 – 4 October 2013 to review  many recommendations which preceded their meeting in the same conference in line with what was adopted in Cairo, Africa, in 1994, and its follow-up beyond 2014.
Our Ministers passed the declaration taking into cognisance the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 65/234 on the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development beyond 2014, African Union declarations and resolutions, and decisions of Heads of State and Government including the priorities of the NEPAD programme; the United Nations Conferences and Summits of the 1990s.
Also reaffirming the Maputo Plan of Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the Abuja Actions towards the Elimination of HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in Africa by 2030.
The declaration is a tall list, but I will focus more on health and some related areas that foster collaboration and synergy. The ministers had recognized  that health is a precondition for economic and social development in Africa and aware that sexual and reproductive health and rights are not only essential to the realization of social justice, but are central to the achievement of global, regional and national commitments for sustainable development.
They recognized that women’s health is key for Africa’s development and that under- investment in women’s health remains a challenge. Another important aspect noted was the fragility of the health systems in many countries and the limited access to comprehensive health care services including sexual and reproductive health services.
Acknowledging the progress made in the implementation of the Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Continental Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the Maputo Plan of Action for its implementation, the African Health Strategy and the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa, resulting in reduction in maternal and child mortality and new HIV infections in some countries in the last two decades;
Noting that the average contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) of modern methods in Africa is the lowest among all regions of the world and unmet need for family planning is the highest and that universal access to family planning opens the opportunity to reap the demographic dividend.
The African ministers commit to:
1.      Strengthen health systems, down to the primary health care level, towards the provision of equitable and universal access to a comprehensive range of health care services by ensuring, sustainable health financing and addressing the critical shortage of resources including human resources for health, and infrastructure.
2.      Create a supportive environment to eliminate preventable, communicable and non-communicable diseases, including HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, Tuberculosis and Malaria and heart-related diseases and cancers.
3.      Support the integration of sexual and reproductive health services, HIV and AIDS and family planning.
4.      Eliminate preventable maternal mortality and neonatal mortality through ensuring that births are attended by skilled health personnel, and that there is universal access to prenatal and postnatal care and family planning, emergency obstetric and neonatal care.
5.      Adopt and implement relevant comprehensive sexuality education programmes, both in and out of school, that  are linked to sexual and reproductive health services, with the active involvement of  parents, community, traditional,  religious and opinion leaders; and young people themselves;
6.      Institute measures to prevent unplanned pregnancies through improving access to information, technologies, commodities and services including emergency contraception.
7.      Ensure that all victims/survivors of gender-based violence have immediate and cost free access to appropriate  psychosocial and health services, including 24-hour hotlines; treatment of injuries; post-rape care, emergency contraception, and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.
 With respect to governance, the commitment is to implement policies where it is needed and ensure the inclusive and effective participation of the whole society inter alia women, young persons, older persons, persons with disabilities etc and to institute monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to effectively assess performance in order to ensure accountability.
There was a call for international cooperation and partnership which aimed at strengthening partnerships with local, national and international civil society organizations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. With respect to implementation, the Conference reflected on the high political commitment on the part of the 53 African Countries present at the Conference to the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action on the Continent.
In conclusion, my call is to all concerned stakeholders to make a proactive move in propagating these declaration all over Africa, develop scorecards of performance monitoring and publish annually progress made with respect to implementation and impact.
All comments to Dr Aminu Magashi at [email protected]