African CSOs release Pre-CPD Consultations Communiqué

We have received the following from the International Planned Parenthood Federation: 

In September 2013 African civil society held consultations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that culminated in a consensus position of civil society on African priorities, including the need to mainstream 'human rights' in all development policies.

A follow-up pre-CPD and Post 2015 consultative meeting was then held in Nairobi, Kenya on 5- 7 March 2014. The meeting was organized by the International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund and aimed to continue the momentum on mobilizing civil society around Beyond 2014 and post 2015.

Members of parliament, government officials and intergovernmental agencies working in the area of population and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) were present. Governments were called upon to demonstrate political will, leadership and commitment and implement actions that ensure achievements of gender equality and women’s empowerment including   bodily integrity, dignity and autonomy. The representatives from African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and international NGOs working in Africa released a communiqué with 16 asks to African governments

They asked governments to reposition family planning as a key development driver and ensure universal access to the full range of family planning choices to reduce maternal mortality.

Lucien Kouakou, Regional Director said : "We want to provide an opportunity for civil society to the extent that they take their role and be better prepared to participate in the process in their countries respectively , leading to the definition of the development agenda post 2015."

IPPF is calling for sexual and reproductive health and rights to be fully included in the post-2015 framework. Our asks include  a stand-alone goal on gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment; universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as a target under a goal on health and gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights to be mainstreamed through all other goals.

You can read the full Communiqué here.

The consultative meeting was organized by a steering committee consisting of representatives from  African Centre for Shared Development Capacity Building, Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD), African Youth and Adolescents Network, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Coalition for African Lesbians (CAL), Civic Commission for Africa, The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), International Refugee Rights, International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR), Reproductive Health Advocacy Network Africa (RHANA), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF WEST AFRICA), Youth Action Movement, Youth Vision, Aids Accountability International (AAI).