Let's revolve more on family planning

BY EDITOR

Editorial cartoon

Family planning is a necessity for reasons relating to both reproductive health and population regulation, which have proved especially tricky.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane a bit: in the early 1990s the government urged families to aim for a maximum of four children as a way of controlling population growth. Ironically, there was much less advocacy when it came to family planning.

Family planning issues have since attracted much greater attention; in fact, experts say the number of women using modern family planning methods has increased by 27 per cent compared to two decades ago.

What’s more, while men’s participation in matters relating to family planning was once considered taboo, the picture is now much brighter. Chiefly thanks to efforts by NGOs in collaboration with the Health and Social Welfare ministry, we have witnessed instances of encouraging headway.

But how much progress have we really made? Yes, we have evolved tremendously compared to decades ago, but are we giving our all in addressing the challenges holding us back or pulling us down? Surely, a 27 per cent rise in two decades is too little for comfort.

That women have the right to opt for methods of birth control of their choice is no longer really an issue; fortunately. However, a good number of safe and effective methods remain well beyond the reach of low-income earners. What should be done about this?

There is also the aspect of accessibility; how free are women to access birth control methods without facing undue criticism? From the point of view of many women, the situation remains far from conducive or supportive enough. The number of girls dropping out of schools owing to pregnancy and the maternal mortality due to unsafe abortions explain it all.

With this, a more aggressive approach is needed when advocating the use of family planning methods. All things considered, family planning methods should be as accessible to women and girls as possible, that is, unless there are compelling reasons for the contrary to apply.

Some two years ago, legislator Jenista Mhagama called for the enactment of legislation on reproductive health. It was once reported that stakeholders would present a bill to that effect to some parliamentarians in February last year.

Issues addressed in the bill would include guaranteeing girls and women access to contraceptives and family planning methods. Alas, we are yet to hear of progress on the plan.

Last year, world leaders attended a summit in London with the aim of launching a campaign to provide safe family planning information, services and supplies to an additional 120 million women in developing countries by 2020.

It was revealed that more than 200 million girls and women seeking to delay or avoid pregnancies have no access to modern family planning methods in those countries.

President Jakaya Kikwete briefed the summit on efforts Tanzania was making to ensure wider and less cumbersome of quality family planning services.

True, we have made some progress in the provision and use of modern family planning methods. However, we still must inject more funds into the cause while also reducing costs and thinking of criminalising attempts to needlessly deny people access to the services.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

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