Press release
Paris, October 11
West Africa: Civil society calls on decision-makers to implement their commitments to family planning
Today, on Girls' Day, the Alliance Droits et Santé network and the 120 champions of "Generation PF: Together, let's choose the future!" are joining forces with citizens of the sub-region to launch a new campaign to promote family planning.
In Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire, they will spend four months calling on political leaders to take the necessary measures to fulfill their commitments to provide women, young people, and couples with access to family planning information and services.
In London last July, at the FP2020 summit, a global movement for family planning, Burkina Faso's Minister of Health, Mr. Nicolas MEDA, announced the commitments made by the governments of nine West African countries on family planning. In particular, he reiterated that family planning is a fundamental human right that will be one of the political priorities of the sub-region. He also announced that budgetary efforts would be made, with a 10% annual increase until 2020 in the governments' contribution to the budget allocated to the purchase of contraceptive products. He committed to the implementation of an inclusive approach to resource mobilization involving decentralized local authorities. He also stressed the importance of strengthening the system by delegating tasks and collaborating with civil society organizations. Finally, he emphasized the urgency of providing quality services, especially to adolescents and young people. This is quite a program, and it will now be up to the government to deliver on its promises!
Decision-makers, now is the time to take action!
Press contact: Nathalie Perrotin – Equilibres & Populations nathalie.perrotin@equipop.org – +33 (0)1 85 08 05 19
Note to editors: – Alliance Droits et Santé(Rights and Health Alliance): launched in 2013 by the NGO Équilibres & Populations, the network aims to improve the status and health of women and girls in West Africa. The Alliance is made up of 16 associations specializing in the rights and health of women and girls, as well as youth and women's movements. – Génération PF: a campaign that gives a voice to women and men in French-speaking West Africa who are committed to promoting sexual and reproductive rights and health, with a particular focus on family planning (FP). Journalists, doctors, students, presenters, actresses, teachers, rappers, anthropologists, magistrates, imams, abbots... these people work every day to advance family planning and reproductive health.
