Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698058044464.pdf (Lesotho)
( REPORT ON THE NEAPACOH HIGH LEVEL POLICY ADVOCACY MEETING, 2019 PRESENTED BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATION National Assembly P. O.

Box 190 Maseru 100 Phone: +266 22323035 Fax: + 266 22310434 0 1.
INTRODUCTION Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), in conjunction with Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) and partners, organise high level policy meeting for African Parliamentary Committees of Health and their Committee Clerks to promote universal access to Reproductive Health (RH) and Family Planning (FP) services for achieving the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as identifying areas of follow up action to enhance the implementation of RH in the region.
PPD ARO in partnership with NEAPACOH organized a two-day high level policy advocacy meeting with parliamentarians from 30th to 31st October, 2019 at Speke Resort, in Kampala Uganda.

The meeting was the eleventh in a series organized under the auspices of NEAPACOH.
The theme was “Building the capacity of African policy makers for enhanced implementation of ICPD PoA and improved reproductive health outcome: Challenges and Opportunities.” It provided space for discussions between and among members of the parliamentary committees of health and developed concrete actions aimed at building and sustaining momentum of political will for reproductive health and family planning in the context of achieving SDGs.
The objectives of the 2019 NEAPACOH meeting were to:  share progress, lesson learned and remaining challenges on the implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH)/ Family Planning (FP) related commitments that were made during the October 2018 NEAPACOH meeting;  Share experiences and good practices that enhance the implementation of RH/FP related commitments, the ICPD Programme of Action and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);  Build the capacity of policy makers to contribute to enhanced accountability, leadership and stewards for the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and meet the SDGs by 2013 in the region; and  Elicit commitments to improve RH/FP outcomes including ending preventable maternal deaths, eliminating unmet need for family planning and ending child marriages and teenage pregnancies, among others.
1 PPD ARO and NEAPACOH in collaboration with International Planned parenthood Federation Africa Regional Office (IPPI ARO) also organized a one-day pre- NEAPACOH workshop on SRHR continental landscape focusing on key framework which took place on 29th October, 2019.

The objective of the pre-conference workshop was to strengthen the participant’s understanding of key continental frameworks on SRHR and health and how to best utilize them in advancing progress at the national level.
The focus was on Maputo Protocol and PoA, The Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development (AADPD) ICPD and SDGs.

Hon.

Dr. Michael Bukenya, Committee Chairperson of the Health of Parliament of Uganda, opened the meeting officially on behalf of the Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Rt.

Hon.

Rebecca Kadaga.


The participants were from 24 countries, Development Partners, Civil Society Organisation and other Stakeholders involved in Family Planning, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent (RMNCAH) programme.

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Lessons Learned from the meeting: Improving Universal Access to Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services for Achieving the ICPD PoA and the SDGs is significant to a country.
Amongst ICPD PoA Principles the following were identified as important for the achievement of ICPD and SDGs:  Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Women.
 Population Growth and Structure  Reproductive Health and Rights  Health, Morbidity and Mortality  Population, Development and Education All 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are important for the benefit of a country and commitment to be implemented in 2030 by various countries hence participants were urged to efforts for their implementation in their respective countries.
However, special attention was on Goal 3 which says “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages.” It entails the following commitments to be achieved by 2030: 2  Reduced global (Maternal Mortality Rate) MMR to<70/1000,000 live births;  End preventable deaths of new-borns and children U5; (Neonatal Mortality NMR Rate) to < 12/1000 and (Under 5 Mortality Rate) U5 MR <25/1000 live births;  Ensure Universal access to sexual and reproductive health care service including for Family Planning, information and Education, and the integration of Reproductive Health into National strategies and programmes; and  Achieve Universal Health Coverage including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services, access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and vaccines to all; High prevalence of teenage pregnancies has become a concern at regional and global level hence leaders from various countries and international organisations have to find a solution urgently.
According to amref-health africa the following are found:  16 million girls aged 15-19 years and 2.5 million girls under 15 years give birth each year in developing countries;  Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for 15- 19 years old girls globally;  Every year, 3.9 million girls aged 15-19 years undergo unsafe abortions;  Unsafe abortions leads to severe morbidity and mortality;  Number of adolescent pregnancies bound to increase globally by 2030 with the greatest increases in Sub-Saharan Africa if Africans do not act; and  It is estimated that 20% of girls globally experienced sexual abuse as children or as adolescents.
Unfinished Business for African Countries:  Although reduced, the unmet need for contraception is still very high ;  Despite ongoing efforts to end teenage pregnancy, African countries have made limited progress on reducing teenage pregnancies;  Most African countries have made little progress in providing contraception to married teenagers who want to delay child-bearing;  The progress made in reducing child marriages is limited due to failure to enforce laws and implement policies;  The level of implementation of health related SDGs is slow due to over reliance on donors and on domestic funding.
3  Barriers to contraceptive use such as myths and misconception, lack of partner/ family support are still a challenge in most African countries.

 Comprehensive Sexuality Education is still a taboo in Africa.

 There is still discrimination towards Lesbian, Gay, Bio sexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) in some African countries.

 Adolescents lack knowledge, transportation and financing means to access FP and healthcare.
Harnessing Demographic Dividend –Agenda for Accelerating Implementation of ICPD PoA is critical for the economic growth of a country and requires the following:  Change in population structure;  Investment in health, education skill training and economic sector; and  Policies, strategies, programmes and projects.
The following areas were identified as priorities for harnessing the demographic dividend:  Health and wellbeing- ensure universal access to quality healthcare including reproductive health;  Educations and skills-curriculum reform, competence based;  Expand vocational training opportunities;  Ensure sufficient and efficient resource allocations for reproductive health; and  Promote policies and programmes to improve health, education and training.
Resolutions for 2019 NEAPACOH Meeting  Participants were encouraged to have SDGs in their respective national development plans.

 SDGs are interconnected and integrated and call for intersectional collaboration for their achievement and countries in their various Ministries and Government Departments need to plan and budget together not in silos.

 African Countries noted high prevalence of teenage pregnancies and child marriages.
Ending the said prevalence, countries were encouraged to advocate for universal access to sexual, reproductive health and rights, services and information for young people.

4  Teenage pregnancy puts the health of young girls at risk and that of their babies, in addition, it accounts for a huge proportion of school drop out for girls as well as unsafe abortion.

It limits girls’ and women’s contribution to national economic growth.
Parliamentarians need to act as fast as possible to address the above-mentioned issues.

 Improve access to life skills/sexuality education and the use of trained teachers and peer educators.

 Install youth friendly health services and provide appropriate training to service providers handling adolescent in their diversity.

 Involve young people in policy making processes up to the grass root.

 Develop enabling policies and making them practical by resourcing for implementation of policies.
 Enhance a social and cultural environment that upholds the SRHR of young people.

 Parliamentarians should influence changes and enact laws related to Universal Access to SRHR for young people.

 Promote understanding and support for teen sexuality programmes including comprehensive sexuality education in schools.

 Advocacy for increased resources to teen sexuality programming and track budget.
 Parliamentarians’ support on laws, policies and programmes that enable more girls to stay in schools, to attain the highest levels of education.

 New infections of HIV and AIDS keep on increasing and there is an urgent need for African countries to find a solution as soon as possible.

 Hon.

Fako Moshoeshoe was elected as the Chairperson of NEAPACOH on the 31st October, 2019 for three years term.

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Commitments for the 2020 NEAPACOH Meetings:  Parliamentarians from their respective countries made different commitments during the meeting.

 Lesotho is committed to advocate for legal abortion and full implementation of Maputo Declaration.

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