Women's empowerment and contraception: West Africa in action in Ouagadougou

On March 1, 2018, Equilibres & Populations—together with its partners from Alliance Droits et Santé Burkina—organized an event in Ouagadougou on the theme of “Women’s Empowerment and Contraception: West Africa in Action!” Nearly 60 people, including West African civil society organizations, decision-makers, family planning champions, and media representatives, gathered to attend the debate on the rights and health of women and girls in West Africa and visit the photo exhibition showcasing subregional initiatives in this area.

To conclude thefour-day workshop for Alliance members, Equipop brought together stakeholders in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly family planning (FP), for a high-level debate. The participants included Dr. Zawora Rita Zizien, then working in FP at the Directorate of Health and Family (DSF) in Burkina Faso, Ms. Rasmata Compaoré, Mayor of Ouagadougou's 12th district, and three champions from Benin and Mali. The debate was moderated by Bachir Sow, a renowned Senegalese journalist.

It's time to act and invest in FP

The panel members emphasized the need to improve FP services. For Adam Dicko, President of AJCAD and FP champion in Mali, family planning must be a priority for governments, particularly FP for young people, as 75% of the population in West Africa is under 35: "These people must have access to basic social services." "FP can be a pillar of development! It prevents unwanted pregnancies and clandestine abortions, especially among young people,"added Lisette Goumbali Cakpo, FP champion and host of the game show Sans Tabou in Benin. In response to the champions' requests, Dr. Zizien, representative of the DSF, specified that the budget allocated to youth is currently being increased to enable the government of Burkina Faso to purchase contraceptives.

All contraceptive products must be available everywhere and at all times so that women can choose and use the method that suits them best. Every effort must be made to improve FP provision, insisted Mamadou Diallo, FP Champion and Chief Medical Officer at the Inter-Company Medical Center of the National Social Security Institute (INPS) in Kayes, Mali.

Ms. Compaoré discussed the awareness-raising activities carried out in her town hall to encourage decision-makers to support FP. According to the mayor, "We see the consequences of the lack of access to family planning in our districts—FP promotes good health, which is essential for development."

For the DSF representative, FP mobilizes civil society and forces officials to talk about family planning without taboos, because the needs are there. "In Burkina Faso, the delegation of tasks allows us to get as close as possible tofamily planningneeds, thanks to community health workers,"she added. Social mobilization in favor of women's rights is essential for lasting behavioral change and access to FP for all.

Sub-regional initiatives for reproductive health in photos

To conclude this event, Equilibres & Populations, together with the other members of the Alliance, took its guests to six countries in West Africa to discover 28 initiatives for the defense and promotion of sexual and reproductive rights and health. This photo exhibition presents the projects currently underway in the sub-region. The next destination for this exhibition isParis, on March 8, at the French Development Agency for a debate with three champions from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

A movement is underway to create a more favorable environment for FP and sexual and reproductive health and rights.