By Aderogba George/Collins Yakubu-Hammer
The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed has pledged the UN’s continued support for the Family Planning (FP) 2030 initiative to expand access to FP services for women and girls by 2030.
Mohammed made this statement during her address at the 8th Nigerian Family Planning Conference on Friday in Abuja.
The theme of the conference was ‘Sustaining Commitment for Family Planning Within the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment: Advancing Progress Towards Achieving FP2030 Goals’.
She stated that the challenges facing FP also present opportunities, noting that mobile health platforms and telemedicine can expand access to information and services, especially in remote rural areas.
“Engaging community leaders allows us to reach deeper into rural areas, with religious and traditional rulers playing vital roles in promoting family planning and dispelling myths.
“Investing in healthcare infrastructure and training for workers is crucial to ensuring widespread, high-quality family planning services.
“To sustain our commitment and accelerate progress towards FP2030, government, civil society, healthcare providers, communities, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders must collaborate effectively.
“The United Nations system, through agencies such as UNFPA and WHO, will continue to support the FP2030 initiative to ensure more women and girls can access these essential services by 2030,” Mohammed stated.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General further called on stakeholders to ensure that FP services are accessible to all, regardless of location, socioeconomic status, or social background.
She emphasised the need for targeted interventions to reach marginalised populations and address the specific barriers they face.
Mohammed also noted that while donor support remains critical, the Nigerian government must increase domestic funding for FP to ensure sustainability and local ownership of the initiative.
She stressed the importance of investing in the training and capacity building of healthcare workers to deliver high-quality, rights-based FP services.
“I urge all stakeholders to adopt a bold, innovative, and inclusive approach. Together, let us work towards ending preventable maternal mortality, addressing unmet FP needs, and eradicating gender-based violence and harmful practices.
“Together, we can create a future where every woman, every girl, and every family in Nigeria can thrive. Let this conference serve as a moment of renewed determination, strategic dialogue, and actionable solutions,” she added. (NAN)
