International Conference on Population & Development - Nairobi/Kenia. November 2019

Last month I was in Nairobi for a 25-year anniversary conference led by UNFPA for the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994. The Cairo Conference set the global agenda for upholding the right to sexual and reproductive health, recognising how fundamental this is for the empowerment of girls and women. 

25 years on, we are still arguing for the full realisation of these rights, and for the broader goal of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all (SRHR) which also supports the world's LGBTIQ communities. SRHR remain elusive for many: more than 800 women still die from preventable causes in pregnancy and childbirth every day, and more than 220 million women report having unmet need for family planning services at some point in their reproductive years.

At Nairobi we discussed the vital importance of SRHR for all, and for ending harmful practices like female genital mutilation which cause great pain and suffering to many millions of girls and women. We advocated for girls to be able to finish their schooling and not be forced into early marriage - as so many still are. 

It is very distressing to read of the plight of girls and women in Zimbabwe today as the country is experiencing a very severe drought and an economic crisis. Food is scarce, many are hungry, and public services are breaking down. For those giving birth, that can mean unsatisfactory conditions as described in the article below. Girls are being forced into early marriage, and more girls and women are taking up sex work as a way of making ends meet. They are at great risk of HIV when partners demand unprotected sex. 

Check out The Times article on this tragic situation (while The Times is paywalled, casual readers are able to have access to an article free!). And think about supporting agencies like UNICEF and World Food Programme, which are doing whatever they can to support vulnerable populations in Zimbabwe. New Zealand High Commission Pretoria, South Africa Women Deliver The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health.