Members of the Rwandan Parliamentarians Network on Population and Development (RPRPD) have commended the government’s health service programmes and strategies outlined in the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and committed to supporting the implementation of the initiatives to ensure a healthy population that contributes to national development. ALSO READ: PM Ngirente to present govt's five-year development strategy to parliament The commitments were made during an advocacy capacity-building workshop on population and development organized by RPRPD, on March 21, under the theme Population and Development Programs in the 2nd National Strategy for Transformation – NST2 2024-2029. The health sector resolution focused on monitoring the provision of services related to reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and non-communicable diseases, especially for youth, and all Rwandans in general. It also emphasized improving access to maternal and child healthcare. Overall, the parliamentary network pledged to collaborate with partners to help overcome challenges and meet Rwanda's targets. Addressing the workshop, Speaker Gertrude Kazarwa said: One of the responsibilities entrusted to the Parliament includes overseeing the implementation of programmes and commitments set by the government, both at the national level and internationally. This is also why Parliament monitors how the government implements the goals of the country's vision. The parliamentary forums are a driving force of sensitization and advocacy to support Parliament in fulfilling its responsibilities through research, consultative meetings, and analyzing various issues. MPs also committed to reviewing economic strategies, focusing on job creation for youth and women, promoting savings, and boosting investments. They also vowed to support education-for-all initiatives, combat child stunting, and continue efforts in environmental protection and climate change mitigation. Senate President François-Xavier Kalinda underscored the workshop's potential to increase knowledge for RPRPD specifically, and Members of Parliament in general, mainly in areas including human capital development so that citizens enjoy good health and adequate knowledge and capacity to expedite the country's NST2, particularly its social transformation pillar. He argued that the workshop’s capacity building element is related to the responsibilities of RPRPD, as well as those of the Parliament, particularly in relation to upholding the fundamental principle of building a State committed to promoting social welfare and establishing appropriate mechanisms for equal opportunity to social justice as stipulated in article 10 of the Constitution of Rwanda. RPRPD Chairperson MP Jeannette Uwababyeyi emphasized that engaging in discussions on the themes of population and development played a crucial role in enhancing RPRPD members' knowledge to serve as both a think-tank and a catalyst for social development, to support and reinforce Parliament in carrying out its responsibilities. Olugbemiga Adelakin, the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Rwanda Country Representative, observed that the longstanding partnership between UNFPA and the Parliament of Rwanda, particularly RPRPD since its creation in 2003, has been pivotal in shaping legislation, policies, and ensuring oversight to enhance the well-being of all people in Rwanda, with a specific focus on sexual and reproductive health. However, he said, while their collective efforts yielded notable progress in maternal health, family planning, and adolescent and youth sexual reproductive health and rights (SRH), persistent challenges remain. These include the unmet need for family planning, stagnation in maternal mortality reduction, increased adolescent pregnancy, and systemic barriers that impede women, adolescents, and youth from fully exercising their health and well-being rights, he said. This is where your advocacy and oversight roles become even more critical, he told the parliamentarians. NST2 targets Under NST2, Rwanda seeks to reduce the maternal mortality ratio from 105 per 100,000 live births in 2023 to 60 per 100,000 live births by 2029 and reduce the under-five mortality rate from 39.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023 to 30 per 1,000 live births by 2029. Other targets include lowering the prevalence of stunting among under-five-year-old children from 33 percent in 2024 to below 15 percent in 2029, and quadrupling the skilled health workforce. Additionally, the country targets to create 1.25 million jobs over the five years of NST2 implementation, implying 250,000 annually. The Rwandan Parliamentarians' Network on Population and Development is a parliamentary network which advocates for a legal framework of population and development issues. The network acts as a parliamentary think-tank, mobilizer, and catalyst for population, sexual reproductive, maternal child and adolescent health, environment and population issues. Established in January 2003 and affiliated with the Parliament of Rwanda, the network is committed to raising awareness among Rwandans about the imbalance between rapid population growth and economic development and its adverse impact on national progress. To fulfill its mandate, RPRPD members prioritize activities related to family planning, youth reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and maternal and child health initiatives. These efforts collectively aim to enhance social welfare as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
