About EmpowHER: EmpowHER (Ensuring Inclusive SRHR Delivery for Women, Girls and Marginalised Communities) is a six-year initiative with three key priority areas: Increasing access to quality, person-centred abortion care. Empowering young people to act on their sexual and reproductive rights by expanding access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). This is delivered through our CSE Centres of Excellence in Ghana, Togo and Colombia.  Pushing back against the anti-rights agenda through coalition and movement-building, as well as advocacy work with our Member Associations. This restricted-funded project will support IPPF’s Strategy 2028 and donor commitments to advance the health and rights of women and girls in all their diversity around the world, ensuring that they can decide what to do with their bodies, their lives, and their futures. Donor: Global Affairs Canada Implementing MAs: Bénin (Association Béninoise pour la Promotion de la Famille) Burkina Faso (ABBEF), Colombia (Profamilia), Ecuador (CEMOPLAF), Ghana (PPAG), Guinea-Bissau (AGUIBEF), Kenya (RHN), Mauritania, (AMPF) Pakistan (FPAP), Sudan (SFPA), Togo (ATBEF), Uganda (RHU), and Zambia (PPAZ).  Duration: 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2030 (6 years) Total Budget: CAD $48,000,000 

Nairobi, 23 September 2024 – A groundbreaking £75.125 million project has been announced by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and its partners, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Options, Ipas, and Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programmes, to transform sexual and reproductive health services across East and Southern Africa. This large-scale initiative will benefit seven countries, supporting millions of women, girls, and vulnerable communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Zambia. This programme, known as Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 (WISH 2) Lot 2, is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). As part of FCDO WISH Dividend, it builds on the successes of FCDO’s £272 million Women’s Integrated Sexual Health (2018-2024) programme, which spanned 27 countries across Africa and Asia. Over its lifespan, the first WISH programme supported over an estimated 16.9 million women and girls, helping them gain access to critical SRHR services. FCDO’s continued partnership with IPPF for this next phase of WISH was unveiled by FCDO's Chris Carter, on behalf of the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) side event, “SRHR: Securing reproductive choice for the next generation.” Announcing FCDO’s partnerships with IPPF, MSI Reproductive Choices and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Chris Carter noted the new programme will play a critical role in increasing women's voice, choice and control across 13 countries in Africa.” With the goal of delivering over seven million ‘couple years protection,’ the programme will address critical healthcare gaps, promote reproductive choice, and tackle harmful social norms. It will also provide urgent support to improve policies, strengthen health systems, and safeguard the reproductive rights of women and girls, especially in areas affected by conflict and displacement. At the heart of this initiative is a focus on reaching the most marginalised groups, including young women and girls under 20, those living in poverty, people with disabilities, and communities in conflict zones. Importantly, WISH2 will also work to improve access to safe abortion care and counteract the growing threats to women’s and girls' sexual and reproductive health rights. IPPF Director General Dr Alvaro Bermejo emphasised the critical need to protect and expand access to SRHR. “WISH2 will continue our mission of empowering women and girls across Africa to unlock their full potential. We will not only tackle the rollback of SRHR rights but also strengthen disability inclusion while delivering sustainable healthcare solutions,” said Dr Bermejo. “We’re grateful to the UK Government for their unwavering support in this important work.” Elshafie Mohamed Ali, Executive Director of Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA) said “WISH2 is essential given Sudan’s current circumstances, particularly the ongoing conflict since April 15, 2023. The programme addresses the growing need for sexual and reproductive health services, offering crucial support to vulnerable communities amidst increasing instability and humanitarian challenges.” Chris Carter, Deputy Director, Head of Human Development Department, highlighted the impact of this new initiative: “Access to sexual and reproductive health services saves lives, empowers women and girls, and supports education, transforming lives and entire livelihoods. This project will amplify women’s voice, choice, and control across Africa, and we are proud to partner with IPPF and African organizations in this critical mission.” For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]  

Nairobi, Kenya: 12 October 2023 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) notes with concern an internal memo sent by the Zambian Ministry of Health to all provincial health directors and cooperating partners dated 21 September 2023, which advises against the use of the term “sexual and reproductive health and rights” and to instead refer to “reproductive health and rights” only. The Zambian Ministry of Health’s rationale for the removal of the terms “sexual health and rights” is that “the inclusion of the words “sexual” and “rights” in the same phrase is the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Qveer (sic) rights” (MoH Zambia, 2023). This is correct, as “sexual rights are constituted by a set of entitlements related to the sexuality of all persons regardless of their gender, gender identity and/or expression, that emanate from the rights to freedom, equality, privacy, autonomy, integrity and dignity of all people” (IPPF, 2016) – and like all rights, sexual rights are interconnected, indivisible, and applicable to all.  “Removing reference to sexual health and rights has real-world implications for people, especially women, and girls, including an entrenchment of patriarchal norms and a framing of people's bodies as useful for reproductive purposes only. This has far-reaching negative implications that are demonstrated by an increase in female genital mutilation and child marriage, and forced treatments, including sterilisation, virginity examinations, and abortions. Removal of sexual rights could also lead to the subjecting of women’s access to sexual health services to external approval, for example from a husband or male relative.”, said Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry, IPPF Africa Regional Director. The inclusion of the term “sexual health and rights” protects the rights of women and girls to consent to sexual activity and treatments, and to access information that allows them to make informed decisions about their sexual health. In addition to offering equality for women in freely deciding the spacing of their children, sexual rights also protect the right to bodily autonomy and to make informed decisions about one’s body. Furthermore, sexual health and rights are closely associated with the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Removal of these terms could negatively affect the provision of services to, and rights of people living positively and needing access to treatment and other forms of support services. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry added that: “IPPF Africa echoes the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission report (2018), sexual health and rights are not just words, behind them are real people; especially women and girls who need to access services that aim to provide a state of complete physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. These services are protected by sexual rights that protect all people’s rights to fulfill and express their sexuality and enjoy sexual health free from coercion.” IPPFAR reiterates that the Government of Zambia is party to several commitments in which sexual and reproductive health and rights are central – including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the African Charter on People’s and Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Furthermore, as Lusaka will host the AU/UNECA ICPD+30 Africa Region Consultation in November 2023, it is critical to recall that the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) affirmed that Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights are Human Rights. If we are to achieve these commitments 30 years later, it is critical that Zambia recommits to the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.   END For further information or to request an interview, please contact: -Mahmoud GARGA, Lead Specialist - Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) – email: [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920   ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization in Africa, and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. Supported by thousands of volunteers, IPPFAR tackles the continent’s growing SRHR challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs) in 40 countries. We do this by developing our MAs into efficient entities with the capacity to deliver and sustain high quality, youth focused and gender sensitive services. We work with Governments, the African Union, Regional Economic Commissions, the Pan-African Parliament, United Nations bodies among others to expand political and financial commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.

By Buumba Siamalube, Advocacy and Youth Engagement Manager, Copper Rose Zambia Although abortion is technically legal in Zambia, the reality of getting an abortion is far more complicated. The abortion law has many barriers in practice, policy and implementation levels. This has contributed to unsafe abortions which remain a significant problem causing deaths and disability across the country. Although evidence on the incidence and consequences of unsafe abortion in recent years is scarce, studies from the early 2000’s identify the common methods used across the country, such as ingesting toxins like detergent and inserting cassava sticks in the cervix. While information and utilization of legal abortion is becoming more common, high levels of unsafe abortions continue to persist. Despite the many barriers to access safe abortions, Zambia has among the most liberal abortion policies in Sub-Saharan African. The Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) Act of 1972 permits abortion in Zambia under the following circumstances: the pregnancy causes risk to the life of the pregnant woman; risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman; risk of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated; or if there is substantial risk of fetal malformation. Further, the law states that if the continuance of a pregnancy would involve great risk, account may be taken of the pregnant woman's environment or of her age. Further amendments to the Penal Code have allowed for abortion in cases of rape and incest.  In an effort to raise awareness on safe abortion, Copper Rose Zambia (CRZ) has worked in Petauke and Nyimba districts of Eastern province on the Safe Reproductive Health Awareness Project. The project involved engaging stakeholders to raise awareness on safe abortion services being offered at various rural health facilities in the districts. The goal of the project was to reduce unsafe abortions among adolescents and young girls in the Eastern Province of Zambia. In 2020, the province recorded over 12,000 teenage pregnancies and over 1,000 complications resulting from unsafe abortions majority being from Nyimba and Petauke. Copper Rose Zambia led safe abortion awareness community outreaches at one of the colleges providing health sciences in the district. We sensitized the students on the laws available in Zambia with regards to Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) and the services offered at health facilities. The response from the students was positive as most of them did not know that safe abortion is legal in Zambia and that health facilities offers such services – they shared that this information is not readily available to most Zambians because of cultural stigma and religious beliefs. Through this work we met a 21-year-old girl called Chisomo. She told us that she had unprotected sex and became pregnant. She thought it was best to terminate the pregnancy because she was still in school. During one of our community awareness sessions, Chisomo reached out to the CRZ peer educators for guidance as she was planning to visit a witch doctor for an unsafe abortion. CRZ shared more information with her and referred her to the hospital for a safe abortion. Following up with her, CRZ found that when she reached the hospital, she was sent to a safe abortion screening room, the service provider who was in charge of conducting the service asked her a number of uncomfortable questions and later told her she couldn’t perform the abortion on her because she was young and it’s a sin to terminate a pregnancy for “no reason”. The health care provider imposed her beliefs about abortion and hence this made the girl very uncomfortable. She left the facility and the service was not performed. Days later, her parents were informed that their daughter visited the health facility for an abortion. Chisomo was forced to go through the pregnancy causing her to drop out of school and raise the child on her own. This shows the many layers of barriers a young woman can face trying to access healthcare. To this end, we continue to deliberately share information on safe abortion in many areas of our work. For example, on the Safe Abortion Project, CRZ focused on training health care providers in Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation so that their beliefs are not imposed on their clients. As the project was being implemented, it was found that there is a need to shift mindsets of health care providers in order to allow more young women access to safe abortion services at health facilities. CRZ firmly believes in access to information so that women can make the right decisions for themselves. Copper Rose Zambia (CRZ) is a grantee partner of the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) a global abortion fund hosted by IPPF. For more updates on our work, follow IPPF Africa Region on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused huge disruption and restrictions for individuals globally, and has been felt acutely with challenges to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare. Yet, with challenges often come opportunities and the pandemic has enabled a transformation in how we deliver health and contraceptive care - especially to women and girls who are among the most affected in times of crisis. Adapting in a crisis to meet need Like many of our Member Associations, Planned Parenthood of Zambia (PPAZ), acted swiftly in March 2020 to develop a new and efficient strategic approach to healthcare delivery for its clients. PPAZ introduced an initiative that, for the first time, offered self-managed contraceptive care to women and young girls (15-49 years) across the four districts of Choma, Livingstone, Lusaka, and Kitwe. The PPAZ healthcare team identified eligible women to participate in the initiative through group counselling sessions on contraceptive methods (both hormonal and non-hormonal) via healthcare clinics and community outreach. The provision of accurate and easy-to-understand information on the types of contraceptive methods available gives women the knowledge and autonomy to make decisions about what method is right for them and their lifestyle.  Personal and convenient contraceptive care   Women who opted for oral contraceptives were provided with a six-month supply of Combined Oral Contraceptives (Microgynon, Zinnia-F), free-of-charge. While other women chose Sayana Press, which is the only self-administering contraception available in Zambia. They were trained on the correct technique for administering the dose (an injection in either the anterior thigh or abdomen), correct storage, and safe needle disposal. Effective for 12 weeks, the women were given a two-dose supply free-of-charge.  PPAZ healthcare teams trained 1,535 women on the Sayana Press method and 3,070 doses of the contraceptive were provided. They also provided follow-up appointments with their clients over several months to ensure correct use and address any concerns. Impressed with PPAZ’s presentation and discussion about how Sayana Press works and its benefits, 21-year-old Eunice Chikoti, chose the injectable because of its convenience. “They took time to explain how to self-inject and were very patient while doing so. They answered all my questions until I was satisfied,” she says. Despite her initial apprehension, Eunice was trained in how to self-inject safely and easily, “I thought it would be very difficult to self-inject, but once I followed the instructions of the nurse, I did so without any challenge,” she says. Eunice has a nine-month-old baby and hopes to have more children in the future. Commitment to self-managed care Due to the success of this strategy, which is not solely reliant on a healthcare provider, PPAZ plans to roll out the initiative to other districts across Zambia. This approach will ensure the most marginalized and low-resource settings are reached where access to healthcare and trained professionals is limited. [Insert quote from Jacob Mutambo here] PPAZ’s initiative has gone a long way in advancing the rights of women and young girls to sexual and reproductive healthcare. Through self-management of their contraceptive needs, women and young girls are exercising their right to bodily autonomy and personal choice with confidence. Read more here. Subscribe to IPPF’s newsletter for more engaging content about sexual healthcare. For more updates on our work, follow IPPF Africa Region on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.  

La pandémie de la COVID-19 a provoqué des perturbations considérables dans tous les secteurs. Pour minimiser la propagation du coronavirus, les gouvernements ont mis en place diverses mesures, notamment des couvre-feux, des restrictions de mouvement dans les pays et des interdictions de rassemblements sociaux. Ces restrictions, combinées à la peur de contracter le virus dans les établissements de santé, ont empêché les populations de recourir aux services médicaux dans les centres de santé. La pandémie a mis en exergue le besoin urgent de réformer nos systèmes de santé, y compris les approches en matière de prestation de services. La pandémie a également eu un impact sur les services de santé sexuelle et reproductive (SSR) proposés par les associations membres (AM) de l’IPPF. Plusieurs d’entre elles ne pouvaient pas continuer à fournir des services de routine, la planification familiale et la contraception étant les plus touchés. Pour faire face à cette situation, les associations membres de l’IPPF ont dû faire preuve d’innovation dans leurs approches de prestation de services, en procédant aux ajustements nécessaires pour répondre aux besoins des clients tout en respectant les directives gouvernementales en matière de prestation de services de santé pendant la pandémie. L’une des façons dont nos AM se sont adaptées a été de mettre en place une stratégie d’autogestion de la planification familiale, adoptée par la Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ), qui est l’association membre de l’IPPF en Zambie. Télécharger le document complet ici: Formation des femmes à l’autogestion de la contraception en Zambie

The COVID-19 pandemic caused great disruptions across all sectors, and to curb the spread of the coronavirus, governments put in place various measures. These included curfews, in-country movement restrictions, and bans on social gatherings. These restrictions, combined with fear of contracting the virus at medical facilities created barriers that affected people’s uptake of services in health centers. The pandemic brought to light the urgent need for transformation in our health systems, including service delivery approaches. The sexual reproductive health (SRH) services offered by IPPF’s Member Associations (MAs) were similarly affected by the pandemic. Many were unable to continue providing routine services, with the most affected being family planning/contraception. To address this, IPPF Member Associations had to be inventive in their service delivery approaches, making necessary adjustments to accommodate client needs while still complying with government directives on health service provision during the pandemic. One of the ways our MAs adapted was through the strategy of self-managed care for family planning, which was embraced by the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ), which is IPPF’s MA in Zambia. Download the complete case study here:  Training Women on Self-Managed Care for Contraception in Zambia

Grace Banda, a young lady from Zambia has called on African Parliamentarians to exercise their role in ensuring that the health concerns of Africa’s youth are prioritized. “African countries must honor their commitments to the Abuja Declaration, as this will make tremendous improvements in the health sector, and more so those touching on adolescent and young people’s sexual reproductive health. As Africa’s youth, we urge our Parliamentarians to hold their governments to account on this pledge. They have the voice and the power to push for the realization of this commitment, as well as ensuring that other laws and policies touching on youth and sexual reproductive health are implemented in a timely and effective manner. Our African Parliamentarians are key to the achievement of Africa’s development goals, including the harnessing of the demographic dividend which calls for investments in youth,” said Ms. Banda, a 23 year-old Youth Action Movement (YAM) member from Zambia and an advocate against Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) among African girls. She made these remarks while addressing members of the Forum of African Parliamentarians on Population and Development (FPA) during a side event ahead of the 28th African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In April 2001, the African Union countries met and pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15% of their annual budget to improve the health sector and urged donor countries to scale up support. However, years later, many of these countries are yet to meet their targets. Parliamentarians can ensure that these commitments are implemented. In her speech, Ms. Banda also called on Parliamentarians to assist in ensuring that adolescents and young people have access to age-appropriate sexuality information, and that they can be able to access reproductive health services in a youth-friendly manner. “Many adolescents and youth make poor decisions about their sexuality because they lack accurate information. They are also not able to access contraceptive services because health service providers are not sensitive and accommodative to their needs. There are also many prohibitive policies that prevent young people from accessing these services, and which, if reviewed, will avert poor health outcomes among them such as teenage pregnancies, school dropouts and Sexually Transmitted Infections (including HIV) among others. We call on our Parliamentarians to push for the removal of such policies and development of supportive ones that will enable young people to live healthy and productive lives, which will be a great plus for Africa’s development,” she said. Speaking at the same forum, IPPF Africa Region Director Mr. Lucien Kouakou, emphasized that indeed, Parliamentarians are instrumental in harnessing the demographic dividend, as they are greatly involved in the formulation of various policies and legislations that pertain to the country’s development. “Parliamentarians have the capacity to influence their colleagues to push for the support and implementation of policies and legislations, especially those related to youth, health, population and development. They can call for more budgetary allocation to related Ministries, such as those of Youth, Gender and Social Affairs, Health, Education Planning and Development, as well as other institutions that focus on the youth and their reproductive health. They can also take the lead in seeking innovative ways of mobilizing resources at the local level that would champion population and related issues. Seeking African solutions to African problems through domestic funding is one way to realizing Africa’s development, and we count on our Parliamentarians to champion this cause,” he said. Story by Maryanne W. Waweru, IPPF Africa Region. For more updates on our work, follow IPPF Africa Region on Facebook and Twitter

1 July 2015, Lusaka, Zambia  A high-level African stakeholders meeting to dialogue on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) policies is currently underway in Lusaka, Zambia. The meeting, taking place from 29 June – 2 July 2015 brings together Civil Society, Regional Economic Blocs and Parliamentarians from different countries across Africa. The delegates are reviewing the implementation status of various SRHR policy frameworks, including the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the Maputo Plan of Action (MPoA), and the Millennium Development Goals. These frameworks were developed in response to the call for the reduction of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, and over the years have served as a guide towards the reduction of poverty in Africa; through SRHR interventions. Despite the existence of many progressive policy instruments at continental and regional levels, the SRHR situation on the continent still faces major challenges. Maternal Mortality Rates remain exceptionally high, humanitarian crisis are rife and adolescent and youth health concerns are yet to be fully addressed. Delegates are therefore expected to propose innovative strategies to improve SRHR policy implementation that is key in addressing the unfinished SRHR business. This meeting is timely, as lessons from the implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other past frameworks are being shared ahead of the launch of new 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Post 2015. Speaking during the opening ceremony on Tuesday 30 June, Zambia’s Deputy Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, representing Health Minister Hon. Joseph Kasonde, acknowledged the commitment demonstrated by African countries in the promotion of good sexual and reproductive health rights through development of comprehensive policies thus far. “Many countries have indeed adopted various SRHR policy instruments that continue to guide the sexual and reproductive health agenda in their countries. We have seen commitment by African leaders to addressing the stipulated targets in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and the Maputo Plan of Action (MPoA),” he said. The Zambian health minister however decried the fact that the SRHR agenda has not been accorded the priority it deserves in the national agenda in many countries.   “Because of lacklustre commitment by many African governments to implementing the health agenda in their countries, many SRHR initiatives remain under-resourced and inadequately implemented. Issues of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights remain at the periphery of our in-country development agendas, thus hampering the attainment of health goals. Arguably, this has continued to significantly stagnate Africa’s development progress,” Dr. Chilufya said. The Minister further urged African leaders to prioritize unmet SRHR targets and identify workable strategies as well as formidable areas of collaboration that will realize improved implementation of SRHR goals for the continent. The meeting convened by IPPF Africa Region has over 40 delegates participating and these include senior technocrats from the Africa Union Commission (AUC), East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), Forum of Parliaments of International Conference in the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR) Pan- African Parliament (PAP), Members of Parliament from Uganda, Zambia and Cape Verde, Republic of South Africa Officials, West African Health Organization (WAHO), East Central and Southern Africa – Health Community (ECSA-HC), UNFPA, policy and economic experts, ,youth and women leaders, selected country experts as well as SRHR coalitions (RHANA) and relevant Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). “IPPF Africa Region, together with its 42 national Member Associations and affiliate partners in the civil society is keen on contributing to actions aimed at improving the implementation of SRHR policies in Africa. It is our belief that doing so will not only greatly reduce the high rates of maternal mortality and sexual gender based violence, but assure that every young and old African lives a quality life,” said the IPPFAR Regional Director Mr. Lucien Kouakou, who is represented at the forum by Ms. Caroline Kwamboka – the IPPFAR Senior Manager, External Relations and Advocacy. Mr. Sam Ntelamo, the Resident Representative, IPPFAR Liaison Office to the AU reiterated the call for collaborative efforts by all stakeholders in both the private and public sectors in addressing the development challenges faced by Africa. “Lack of resources is always an acute issue impeding the implementation of population and development agendas in developing countries. For example, the global resource target set at ICPD is far from being met –now that we are going into the post-2015 era. We firmly believe that global sustainable development requires the collective efforts of countries,” he said. Mr. Ntelamo further urged national governments, regional and international partners to enhance their commitment to various policy instruments, honor their pledges –especially those made at the ICPD, increase funding for population, family planning and reproductive health programmes in order to promote global sustainable development in Africa. Hon. Sylvia Ssinabulya, MP for Mityana district in Uganda emphasized the important roles of regional integration and regional economic blocs in mobilizing financial resources, even as African countries explore new financing options. “There is no doubt that regional integration can lead to our economic growth. Unfortunately, this potential has not been sufficiently harnessed and efforts so far have not been inclusive. They have not trickled down to improve SRHR indicators. Learning from this, we need to take advantage of regional economic bloc, as well as lay more emphasis on people-centered and inclusive development,” she said. Delegates at the meeting are expected to propose new financing for development options that African countries can explore, including domestic resource mobilization. This, in light of the noted constraints that prevent many African countries from attaining the ICPD, MPoA, MDGs and other health development goals, among them the chronic shortage of funds from both national budgets and donor countries.