Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Former Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and human rights lawyer, stressed the urgent need for collective action to address the complex challenges facing sexual and reproductive health in Africa.
According to MyJoyOnline, she delivered the keynote address at the 11th African Conference on Sexual Health and Rights in Rabat, Morocco.
Nana Oye, in her address, underscored the importance of intensifying efforts to bridge the gap in reproductive health indicators.
Reflecting on the progress made over the past three decades, Nana Oye acknowledged advancements in maternal mortality rates and contraceptive prevalence rates across the continent. However, she highlighted that Africa still lags behind the rest of the world in reproductive health indicators and emphasized the need for sustained action.
Several challenges impede progress in sexual and reproductive health, including unsafe abortions, inadequate legal frameworks, and socio-cultural barriers, according to Nana Oye. She stressed the importance of adopting regional and national regulations for Assisted Reproductive Technology and addressing deep-rooted socio-cultural norms.
Nana Oye emphasized the critical role of research in informing policy and programming decisions, calling for the collection of gender-sensitive and youth-oriented data to guide strategic interventions effectively. She urged increased political commitment, gender-sensitive resource allocation, leveraging technology for improved healthcare access, and advocating for policy reforms at all levels.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health rights across Africa, with delegates pledging concrete actions to address identified challenges.
The week-long event served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and collective action towards achieving comprehensive sexual and reproductive health for all in Africa, with the participation of 650 delegates from 40 countries and under the high patronage of His Royal Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The conference was graced by esteemed dignitaries, including the First Ladies of the Central African Republic and Zambia, H.E. Brigitte Touadera and Ms. Mutinta Hichilema, who officially opened the conference. Notable remarks were delivered by the Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Source: ghanaweb.live
