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Statement by Ms. Fama Hane
Ba, Mr. Chairman Jaam ngen fanaan, Buenos dias, Bonjour It is my honour and pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to you all to this very important conference. The participation of as many as fifty Countries in this august forum is a clear indication of the commitment of the region to the global effort to improve the lives of people in Africa, especially women and children. I would also like to thank the Government of Senegal for graciously accepting to host this conference and for making this high echelon event possible. Of course the people of Senegal, this land of Teranga, deserves our special gratitude for a very warm welcome. A big thank you to the Economic Commission for Africa and my colleagues of the UNFPA Office in Dakar for all the effort they put into organizing this conference. Today, we are gathered here to take stock of our global effort to translate the goals and objectives of the historic 1994 Cairo conference into programmes for better lives for all. That conference, gave birth to the global consensus on the goals and priorities required to address the population and development challenges confronting the world. Ten years later, it is time to see how well we have done in achieving those goals . Mr. Chairman, permit me to recall the important role played by Africa in drawing up and achieving the Cairo consensus. In recognition of the importance of population and reproductive health to our continent, the region facing the most severe population-related difficulties, Africans spearheaded actions to address these challenges. You may recall that twelve years ago, at the Third African Population Conference, African countries adopted the Dakar-Ngor Declaration (DND) as a regional agenda of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The recommendations contained in the Declaration became core provisions of the Cairo Programme of Action. African delegations and experts also played a critical role in ensuring the adoption of many of the key ideas of the Programme of Action. I would like to salute Dr. Fred Sai and the many others for their leadership in Cairo when they led the entire world to a new frontier in development thinking. Mr. Chairman, The Cairo agenda recognizes that population issues are dynamic forces that are shaping our world. The agenda made it clear that Population issues are about people, they are about enabling people to take charge of their own lives, to advance economic growth, to reduce poverty, to participate in and achieve sustainable human development. The global consensus is that population and development strategies are inseparable; empowerment of women and gender equality are not only ends in themselves, but are also critical to poverty eradication and human development. The universal access to education and reproductive health services are reaffirmed as basic human rights. Hence the focus has shifted from demographic targets to improving the quality of human life. A forward-looking vision that centres on increasing choices and opportunities to enable people reach their full potential. Today, we know that with family planning, education and other health services, individuals are empowered to do what is best for themselves and their families. This translates into spaced births, less burden on families, communities and nations. It also provides them with better prospects for development. Mr. Chairman, Since the adoption of the Dakar-Ngor and Cairo agreement, the world, in general, and our continent, in particular, have witnessed unprecedented changes. As stated by the UNFPA Executive Director, Dr; Thoraya Ahmed Obaid "The world is beginning to see the end of rapid population growth, couples are closer to achieving their desired family size and spacing of children, mortality is declining in most countries, and there is evidence that many countries are taking the necessary steps to confront HIV/AIDS". Furthermore, like many other countries around the world, African countries have overwhelmingly adopted the Cairo agenda as their own; governments and citizens have voiced their strong support for, and reaffirmation of the Cairo Programme of Action. African Governments have taken steps and actions to translate the Cairo mandate into national laws, policies and programmes; implementing reproductive health programmes and integrating them into primary health care, particularly through efforts to reduce maternal deaths thanks to, for example, emergency obstetric care programmes. We are most appreciative of the contributions from donor countries that have made those achievements possible. Even though progress has been uneven across regions and countries, there is no arguing that, overall, a girl born today in Africa faces better prospects than her 10 - year old sister. School enrolment rates are increasing and, and in some countries mortality rates are declining and life expectancy is rising. Reproductive health initiatives are saving lives throughout Africa. In rural Senegal for example, hundreds of women who would otherwise have succumbed to childbirth, are alive thanks to the availability of well-equipped obstetric care centre. "I give thanks to God that I am alive and for the surgery that saved me", affirmed one of the women of the village of Goudry, (Senegal) which has benefited from such center. The case of Amie, a teenage girl, on her experience in a UNFPA -supported centre for girls from the poorest families in rural Senegal is also worth mentioning and gives clear indication of what Cairo is all about: "We know our lives are better because of the centre. I certainly never thought that I had a real skill and would be able to earn my own money", she said.. Such compelling testimonies are clear demonstration that a relatively small contribution can make a huge dent on the alarming maternal mortality statistics in Africa and give hope. Governments are pursuing the Cairo objectives by recognizing and dealing with HIV/AIDS; by handling gender-based violence as an assault on women' s rights; by adopting culturally sensitive approaches to eradicate female genital cutting and in some cases banning the practice; and by increasing awareness about fistula. Ten years ago, it would seem radical, and even taboo, to talk about adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Today, countries in Africa have some of the most innovative and dynamic programmes to protect the reproductive health of their young people. In Benin for instance, an innovative adolescent- friendly multi-media centre supported by a group of donors, run by and for youth raises awareness about many health, education and work related issues. Here hundreds of youth learn about substantive adolescent health and development issues. They then become recognized focal points for these important issues in their communities as well as effective advocates on radio, TV or in print as acknowledged in this statement of a father of trainee: "These programmes are listened to by the whole community." Today, AIDS is recognized for what it is-a threat to life, and a grave threat to development. Indeed it is a threat to the very survival of many African communities and nations throughout the continent. From Tunisia to South Africa, from Cape Verde to Tanzania, programmes have been started to deal with the pandemic. Progress has been made to reduce stigma and discrimination and to mobilize greater action for prevention, care, treatment and support. But far greater efforts are needed through fuller integration of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment into reproductive health services. Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, We have definitely come a long way since 1994. We now know how to address the many challenges facing the continent; we know what needs to be done. In many areas we know what works. There is a wealth of good practices that only need to be up-scaled. Governments are showing more commitment and the civil society as well as communities are also getting more involved. New partnerships are emerging including with the private sector. However, in spite of the progress made, in many respects, the promise of Cairo remains a promise unfulfilled. There is still a great need for access to quality reproductive health services, including family planning. The needs for effective contraception of millions of women in Africa are still not met. There is still a great need for information and services to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. At the same time, high rates of maternal death across Africa remains a major concern. Thousands women still die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, making it a leading cause of death for women in Africa. We must ensure universal access to emergency obstetric care-and also to family planning and skilled attendance at birth. Today, far, far too many girls and women continue to be victims of rape, beatings and sexual trafficking. Universal and effective action against gender discrimination and violence, towards true equality and women's full participation, lags behind. Across the continent, emergency situations caused by armed conflicts continue to beset many countries and to erode what little progress has been made. Mr. Chairman, To achieve the goals and objectives of the Cairo Programme of Action, continued efforts and commitment are needed to mobilize sufficient human and financial resources, to strengthen institutions, and to nurture stronger partnerships. Thus, to move forward, policy makers, lawmakers, law enforcers, and human rights defenders must be further engaged. We need all sectors - health, financial and the private sectors . We need women, men, young people, religious and community leaders in order to develop culture-sensitive and effective programmes that will help save lives, especially the lives of women. It is heartening that increasingly, African countries themselves are pulling their own resources into these programmes. We urge donor nations and non- traditional funding sources to match these contributions . We must continue to work together to ensure that the promises that we made in Cairo are promises that we keep. Let us continue investing in the most precious resources, our human resources so as to safeguard and ensure a better and brighter future for our continent. Thank you. |
Copyright © Economic Commission for Africa 2004