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Politics News

25 million women desire family planning

About 225 million women globally lack access to modern family planning, and therefore are unable to choose whether or when to have children, according to the United Nations Population Fund or UNFPA.

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In a statement issued in observance of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, 8 March, which coincided with the climax of a two International Women’s Colloquium here, UNFPA Executive Director based in New York, Dr. BabatundeOsotimehin, noted that every year tens of thousands of girls are forced into child marriage, and nearly one third of these before the age of 15, while one woman in three experiences gender-based violence in her lifetime, and some 200 million women and girls have endured female genital mutilation, among other abuses.
He emphasized that the global community has an obligation to advance the new agenda for sustainable development, which enshrines gender equality as one of its goals, adding that the ability of women and girls to exercise their basic human rights, including their right to sexual and reproductive health, is a prerequisite for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Studies have demonstrated clearly that family planning is the best investment countries can make for human development”, he said and stressed that ensuring universal access to voluntary family planning means putting the poorest, most marginalized and excluded women and girls at the forefront of global efforts—particularly those in conflict and fragile settings.
Dr. Osotimehin: “Women and girls who can make choices and control their reproductive lives are better able to get quality education, find decent work, and make free and informed decisions in all spheres of life.
Their families and societies are better off financially. Their children, if they choose to have them, are healthier and better educated, helping break the spiral of poverty that traps billions and triggering a cycle of prosperity that carries over into future generations.”
He pledged that UNFPA is fully committed to ensuring the rights of women and girls to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, saying “On this International Women’s Day, we urge the global community to join us. Together, we can make a giant leap forward that saves lives, empowers women and girls, advances gender equality and ensures a more prosperous and sustainable future for all of us.”
Meanwhile, the UNFPA Executive Director has described gender equality as a human right, underscoring that women are entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and fear, without discrimination. He said gender equality is also vital to sustainable development, peace and security, not just a women’s issue, but an issue for all of humanity.
“Sadly, despite some progress, the world still has a long way to go to achieve full gender equality”, he lamented.

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