This archive report was first published on 28 November 2019.
Investing in Sexual, Reproductive Health Crucial for Africa's Development ¶
Thursday, November 28, 2019 22:00
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has been a strong advocate for prioritizing sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, children, and adolescents. As the chairperson of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) board, she represented the organization at the recent International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Nairobi.
Clark emphasized the need for bold action to address the challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights. She noted that despite progress since the Cairo conference in 1994, many women and girls still lack access to essential services. This can be a life and death matter, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where maternal deaths account for two-thirds of the global total.
Clark highlighted the importance of addressing the unmet need for contraception in the region. According to the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission, in 2017, 214 million women of reproductive age in developing regions had an unmet need for modern contraception. In Africa, the unmet need for contraception is particularly high, with 42% of all women of reproductive age in developing regions using modern contraceptive methods.
Clark also emphasized the need to address reproductive cancers, particularly cervical cancer. In Africa, 34 out of every 100,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and 23 out of every 100,000 women die from the disease annually. In contrast, in North America, seven out of every 100,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and three out of every 100,000 women die from the disease annually.
Clark stressed the importance of increasing investment in the quality and coverage of sexual and reproductive health services. She noted that donors need to step up their funding for these essential services to uphold the rights and dignity of women and young people.
