World population report challenges Africa on family planning

According to the report released by The United Nations Population Fund, making voluntary family planning available to everyone in developing countries would reduce costs for maternal and newborn health care by $11.3 billion annually.

The report finds that the costs of ignoring the right to family planning include poverty, exclusion, poor health and gender inequality. The report suggests that access to contraception is the key to controlling population growth, an aspect which has been faced criticism in many African countries because of their religious, and cultural beliefs.

The report warns that of the 80 million unintended pregnancies that are projected to occur in 2012, an estimated 40 million will likely end in abortion. Addressing the unmet need for family planning worldwide would avert 54 million unintended pregnancies and result in 26 million fewer abortions.

Some Africans feel that if African men reduce hypocrisy, such unwanted pregnancies in Africa will be a story of the past.

There are some success stories of adoption of family planning services in countries like in Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Nigeria but still a staggering 222 million in developing countries remain in need of these services yet they cannot get them.

In July 2012, at the London Summit on Family Planning, donor countries and foundations together pledged $2.6 billion to make family planning available to 120 million women in developing countries with unmet needs by 2020. Developing countries themselves also pledged to increase support.

But, according to the just released report, an additional $4.1 billion is necessary each year.

Experts believe that the best way to control Africa’s growing population is by targeting the youth who comprise over half the population of the continent . They say it is better to put youth-friendly family planning services in institutions where they go to, or in the open society where they can easily access them.

Press TV