Africa's Lawmakers Should Do More To Save Continent From Deaths from AIDS, Disease and Poverty, Appeals UNFPA's Thoraya Obaid

N’DJAMENA, Chad—Speakers and leaders of African parliaments should commit more resources to stop millions of Africa’s people from dying of HIV/AIDS, poverty and disease by implementing live-saving population and reproductive health programmes, says an appeal today by Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. She is an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

"We will not be able to reduce poverty, improve maternal health, reduce child mortality, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, foster women’s empowerment and gender equality and improve sustainable development, unless greater attention and resources are devoted to population and reproductive health," Ms. Obaid said to a Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments on Issues of Population and Development, taking place in Chad this week.

"Today, the greatest population challenges facing Africa as a whole are HIV/AIDS, high infant, child and maternal mortality, high fertility and the related issues of high rates of population growth," said Ms. Obaid. "There is no health indicator that shows such a large gap between rich and poor nations as maternal mortality. Poor maternal health remains a leading cause of death and disability for women in Africa."

Over the past 30 years, Africa’s population has risen from 416 million to 906 million. That population would more than double to 1.9 billion by the year 2050 if fertility rates continue to decline, according to United Nations projections. But if the rates stay constant, Africa’s population would reach 3.1 billion by 2050.

Ms. Obaid said that one of the most significant population policy developments over the past decade is the number of African governments that have implemented policies to reduce the rapid growth of their populations. Thirty years ago, only 25 per cent of African government had policies to address population growth. Today, that figure has jumped to nearly 75 per cent.

"It is necessary that we fight intransigence to improve the living conditions of our populations, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat AIDS and champion the status of children and women," said Idriss Deby, the President of Chad , in his address to the delegates. "Parliamentary unity, especially that linking North and South, can play a key role to push developed countries to increase their contributions and respect their commitments."

According to a global survey undertaken by UNFPA, most African countries have also adopted national AIDS strategies, and many countries have successfully reached-out to groups at the highest risk of infection.

But the survey found the need to further strengthen the link between reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services and to address more fully the specific needs of women and girls. Linking family planning and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS policies and programmes will ultimately save lives and scale up effective response, she said.

Many countries reported that HIV/AIDS had become a major impediment to the effective implementation of national development policies and has reversed decades of socio-economic development. Of particular concern are the dramatic increases in HIV infection among young women, who make up over three fourths of the 15- to 24-year-olds in Africa living with HIV/AIDS.

"As the HIV pandemic is being feminized, it is also hitting hard at young people – a trend that indicates that not enough is being done to ensure that they have the information and services they need," Ms. Obaid said. "It is painfully clear that the culture of silence surrounding sexuality continues to put young people at enormous risk despite the clear recognition of the need for action."

In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Ms. Obaid stressed, it is necessary to translate existing plans, laws, policies and strategies into concrete action. Specifically, health systems must be strengthened and additional health care providers trained to improve the quality of care. In addition, a steady supply of contraceptives, condoms and other reproductive health commodities need to be supplied. The links between reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services should be strengthened, especially for women and young people. Finally, governments must reach out to the poor and marginalized segments of the population.

"The time has come to rally a response that is commensurate to the need. Creativity and political will are urgently needed," Ms. Obaid said. "We cannot stand by as millions of Africans die of AIDS. We cannot stand by as families and communities are literally killed by poverty and disease. We cannot turn a blind eye to the young people who seek opportunity and find little or none. As leaders, we bear responsibility."

The delegates from 38 countries adopted the N’Djamena Declaration Thursday, in which participants pledged to do their utmost to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health by 2015 as a target to measure progress towards achieving the MDGs, particularly those related to improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, promoting gender equality, combating HIV/AIDS and eradicating poverty. The declaration will be presented to the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and the General Assembly in September in New York.

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Contact Information:

Yacine Diallo, tel. + 235 208 202, ydiallo@unfpa.org

Angela Walker, tel. + 235 208 202 or 525 350, awalker@unfpa.org

George Ngwa, tel. + 27 72 617 1032, ngwa@unfpa.org