Family Planning: NPC advocates adequate budgetary provisions

Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, Executive Chairman National Population Commission (NPC), on Tuesday called for adequate budgetary provisions for Family Planning in Nigeria.

Kwarra made the call at the commemoration of the third Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Nairobi Summit, in Abuja.

He said that the theme: `Sexual Reproductive Justice as the Vehicle to Deliver the Nairobi Summit Commitments,” was apt in achieving the Nairobi commitment.

Kwarra said that the third anniversary’s theme could be possible, only when women and adolescents’ girls had the power and resources to make healthy decisions about their lives, as regards to reproduction.

“When women lack access to information and services that allow choices regarding their reproductive life, then there is injustice.

“Nigeria ranks among countries with high percentage (19) of unmet need for family planning among currently married women, and 48 per cent among sexually active unmarried women.

“Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate is among the lowest, 12 per cent in the world; high unacceptable preventable maternal deaths (512 per 100,000 live births).

“19 per cent of our teenage girls (age 15-19 years), have begun childbearing and unabated occurrences of early/child/forced marriage.”

He therefore, described the developments as evidences that Nigeria could not shy away from.

According to him, annual budgetary provisions, specifically for family planning, is either non-existent or inadequate.

“Thus Jeopardising our efforts to manage our population.”

The Executive chairman, who affirmed the commission’s action-plan to family planning, said that quality family planning was the right of every woman.

“The National Population Commission will continue to advocate to the National Council on Population Management (NCPM), Parliamentarians, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), working with the Population Advisory Group (PAG).

“Also the Population Technical Working Group (PTWG), stakeholders who join consensus with government of Nigeria at Nairobi, including the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).”

He commended the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), for the making, and launch of the Action Plan, realisable.

Dr Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, reaffirmed the commitment of the ministry to improved family planning and safety of women and girls.

Ehanire, represented by Mr Lawrence Anyanwu, Head, Family Planning Department in the ministry, expressed the ministry’s determination, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to ensure the realisation of the Nairobi commitment.

Ms Ulla Mueller, Country Representative, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said that the right to bodily autonomy of women was critical in demonstrating the Nairobi commitment.

Mueller said that the Nairobi summit emphasised the imperatives of ending maternal deaths, Gender Based Violence and other violations against women.

She called for national support for the conduct of a credible census to identify areas desirable of investments.

She called for equal treatment of all, especially women and girls, to enable them harness their full potentials.

Mueller expressed the need for the right investment in women and girls, which was a roadmap to achieving Demographic Dividend (DD).

Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman Technical Management Committee, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), reiterated the importance of stepping up access to family planning in the country.

Oji said that family planning had the capacity to drive economic development with lower fertility rate, and improved Contraceptive Prevalence Rate.

He called on government to increase funding for family planning, which according to him is fundamental in catapulting Nigeria to higher levels.