A successful implementation of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) including Family Planning (FP) programs requires enhanced, pragmatic leadership and stewardship from policymakers including Members of Parliament (MPs), Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders.
A review of African countries’ progress in achieving the MDGs revealed that the health-related MDGs remain unfinished business in the post-2015 development agenda.
The involvement of legislators is strategic to effective and sustained program and policy response. It is within this context that Partners in Population and Development – Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO) in partnership with Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) and other like-minded partners have organized a two days high level policy advocacy meeting with African parliamentarians and stakeholders engaged in FP, RH and Maternal and Child Health programs which will take place on June 28 – July 1, 2016, in Kampala. The theme of this meeting is; “From Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Challenges and Opportunities for Parliaments to enhance Reproductive Health/ Family Planning”.
The objectives of this eighth meeting, in a series, are to:
- Assess progress made, challenges and lessons learned on achieving the country commitments made at the September 2014 NEAPACOH meeting;
- To have a common understanding of the challenges and opportunities for SRHR in the post-2015 development agenda;
- Share experiences and innovative practices on the implementation of RH including FP commitments in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Enhance accountability, political leadership and stewardship for the implementation of RH/FP frameworks in the region in the context of the SDGs; and
- Develop country-specific action plans for parliamentarians that promote RH/FP for implementation over the coming 12 months.
In order to achieve the objectives of this meeting, the organisers have invited at least two MPs who chair or/and members of the health committees from their respective parliaments, and their technical personnel. The invited delegates will arrive in Kampala on 26th June to attend a two days precursor training workshop tailored to building capacity of Parliament technical staff in sourcing relevant information and evidence for MPs to support their debates in Parliament and in decision-making.
This meeting is jointly organised by PPD ARO and partners namely African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Population Council through the STEP UP Project, and Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA).
Given the unique nature of their roles of legislation, budget appropriation and oversight, it is important to provide space for MPs, to understand the transition from MDGs to SDGs and what they need to do in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is the locus of the meeting.
Close to forty African countries are expected to attend the meeting. The opening of the meeting will be presided by the Minister of State for Finance Planning and Economic Development of Uganda and the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda will preside over the closure of the meeting.
The program for the meeting is available online by clicking on the links below