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We must stay resilient to ICPD Nairobi commitments

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020 00:00 | By
International Conference on Population and Development.

Dollarman Fatinato    

In 1994, 179 countries adopted a landmark Programme of Action during the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt.

It  transformed how linkages between population, poverty reduction and sustainable development were addressed by putting rights, needs and aspirations of individual human beings at the center of development. 

This week marks one year since ICPD +25 was held in Nairobi, where leaders of countries, communities and organisations from 163 United Nations Member States participated.

Representatives including head of states, ministers, parliamentarians, technical experts, civil society organisations, young people, business and community leaders, faith-based organisations, indigenous peoples, international financial institutions, academics and many others interested in the pursuit of sexual and reproductive health and rights, fashioned the Nairobi statement and accompanying Nairobi Commitments, to uphold existing agreements, address resource gaps, define actionable timelines, and reaffirm their commitments towards the ICPD Programme of Action, within the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

Kenya was not just a co-convener of this landmarking high-level conference, but among countries that re-affirmed their commitments towards the programme.

Speaking during the conference, President Uhuru Kenyatta made an ambitious commitment of keeping girls in school and eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM) before 2022.

Kenya also committed to employ innovation and technology to ensure adolescents and youth attain highest possible standard of health. 

The government also promised to put efforts to eliminate teenage pregnancies, new adolescent and youth HIV infections and harmful practices such as child marriages and, at the same time, ensure universal access to friendly quality reproductive health services and information to the youth and adolescents by 2030.

Despite remarkable progress over the past 26 years—through formulation of policies and legal frameworks, strengthening adoption of regional and other global instruments, increased allocation of resources and entrenchment of citizens’ rights to quality health care, including reproductive health—the promise of the Programme of Action remains a distant reality for many Kenyans, particularly adolescents and young people.

Universal access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health information, education and services, elimination of FGM, early marriages and keeping girls in school remains a dream. 

Covid-19 presents new challenges that may further impede the realisation of these commitments and exacerbate poor health and social outcomes.

Aside from closure of schools, which act as safe haven for girls facing the risk of FGM and early marriages, the spike in Covid-19 cases  is likely to put a strain on the healthcare, leading to disruption of healthcare services, trivialisation of sexual and reproductive health services and contributing to unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. 

To accelerate the ICPD +25 commitments, Kenya must stay resilient by ensuring all healthcare workers are protected and motivated; sexual and reproductive health services are accessible and affordable for all at this critical time; innovative heightened community surveillance and sensitisation against harmful cultural practices; and clear plan to guarantee every school going children resume class in  January  2021. — The writer is  a reproductive health advocate

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