Family planning and the fight against malnutrition require cross-sectoral interventions, capable of accelerating progress in the five key areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.

The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, made the observation on Monday, October 9, while addressing the fourth edition of the high-level women leaders’ forum, underway in Bujumbura, Burundi.

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At the invitation of Burundian counterpart, Angeline Ndayishimiye, Jeannette Kagame joined fellow high-ranking women leaders in the forum that seeks to rally efforts towards good health and nutrition for women, children, and adolescents through resilient and sustainable actions.

Family planning, the First Lady said, is not a question of birth control, but of enlightened management of our future.

"There was a time when patriarchy was so deeply entrenched in international politics, that women had to negotiate for a long time just to be considered in the allocation of resources that they too helped to produce for their communities,” she pointed out.

By so doing, she added; "The fate of her children was a little different from her own; malnutrition and disease constantly claimed little ones who, like all human beings, deserved a chance to grow up in peace and good health.

"The emaciated African child, dehumanised by hunger, thus became a false, degrading, and painful symbol of our Africa...but this reductionist attitude did little to address the underlying problems of unmet need for family planning.”

The First Lady highlighted that stunted growth and weakened immune systems caused by malnutrition rob children of many opportunities, from their education to their social and professional development.

"We all agree that smaller, well-planned families have their own advantages, not least the ability to devote more time and resources to providing a quality education for every child. This is required to build a critical mass capable of supporting and sustaining our development efforts.

"Thank you for choosing the side of science, responsibility, gender equality, protection of the family unit, and the fundamental dignity of every parent.”

Meanwhile, the First Lady lauded the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), for its two decades of work in the fight against stunting.

"Every child is indeed a blessing. There is nothing more gratifying for a parent than to be able to provide for the life they have created. Beyond its economic justification, family planning embodies parental love, circumspection, and an obligation to our descendants and our societies,” she added.

"We should therefore be alarmed by the worldwide decline in contraceptive use, as published by The Lancet, during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the same period, the number of food-insecure people doubled, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), now reaching over 300 million.”

Gains registered

Africa has made great strides in family planning policies in recent decades, and the continent seems determined to achieve a demographic dividend that improves the lot of its population, Jeannette Kagame said.

For instance, she pointed out, that in Rwanda, between 2005 and 2020, contraceptive use among women rose from 17 per cent to 64 per cent, describing it as an evolution that has enabled the country to progress from an average of six to four children per woman.

Between 2005 and 2020, the stunting rate was reduced by 18 per cent, thanks in particular to Rwanda’s ‘First 1000 Days of Life’ programme.

At the same time, between 2005 and 2020, the infant mortality rate fell from 86 to 33 deaths per 1,000 live births.

"But we won't let our guard down until it's at zero. Our early childhood development centres offer an integrated service based on adequate nutrition and good sanitary conditions and habits. They stimulate the development of our youngest minds, in terms of reasoning, motor skills, memory, and social interaction.”

There is much to work on

The First Lady also issued a rallying call to redouble efforts in reviewing policies, invest in family planning awareness campaigns, as well as fight malnutrition and stunting by subsidising and providing reproductive health services.

"Let's fund scientific research on these subjects, and strengthen partnerships between our governments, the private sector, and civil society. Let's create resilient, decentralised health systems that universalise access to reproductive health care. Let's share and learn from each other's successes and challenges....and, please, let's not take any of our progress for granted.”

On a lighter note, the First Lady applauded the work of her hosts, Burundi’s President and First Lady.

"Let us celebrate your investment, in effort and resources, in the development of this country, to which I am personally attached. Excellency the President, the country for which you devote yourselves saw me born and raised and offered me so many beautiful memories that marked my childhood.”