Iceland PM hails UNFPA partnership at population summit
In an inspiring address at the 9th Africa Population Conference, Iceland’s Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson extolled the fruitful partnership between Iceland and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The conference, held at the bustling BICC Conference Hall in Malawi’s capital, witnessed an engaging speech from Benediktsson, highlighting Iceland’s commitment to advancing gender equality and reproductive health.
The conference, themed “Road to 2030: Leveraging Africa’s Human Capital to Achieve Transformation in a World of Uncertainty,” reflects on progress since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo 30 years ago.
Benediktsson lauded the extensive collaboration with UNFPA in Malawi, emphasizing the significant strides made in maternal care and the fight against obstetric fistula.
“We are proud of the work we have done with UNFPA in Malawi to enhance maternal care, including our work to end obstetric fistula,” he remarked. “Our efforts here and in other partner countries have yielded impressive results for women and girls who have received treatment and social reintegration assistance.”
The Prime Minister outlined Iceland’s holistic approach to maternal care, addressing gender and social norms alongside health system challenges.
“By providing comprehensive solutions, we are not only working to eradicate obstetric fistula but also supporting the elimination of female genital mutilation and cutting, which remains a significant challenge for women and girls worldwide,” he stated, expressing a sense of urgency for faster progress towards the 2030 elimination target.
Benediktsson highlighted the remarkable achievements in Malawi, particularly in the Mangochi District, where Iceland’s investment of K20.7 billion over two decades has coincided with a 53 percent decrease in under-five mortality rate and a 31 percent decrease in maternal mortality since 2012.
He attributed these successes to the effective channeling of funds through local systems, enhancing the district’s capacity to deliver improved health services in hard-to-reach areas.
Speaking earlier, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Lydia Zigomo, called for intensified efforts to develop human capital to propel Africa towards sustainable growth amidst global uncertainties.
Zigomo applauded achievements like gender parity in primary school enrollment and improved maternal health but highlighted persistent challenges, including high rates of teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence. She commended Malawi for hosting the event and its commitment demonstrated during the recent 57th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD).
She emphasized the significance of the Political Declaration from the CPD, reaffirming commitment to the ICPD agenda beyond 2030. She called for increased political and financial support to complete the ICPD agenda, stressing the need for high-quality, timely, and detailed data to inform policies and monitor progress. She underscored the importance of investing in youth, particularly girls, to harness the demographic dividend and achieve Africa’s Agenda 2063.
As the conference continues, discussions will focus on how demographic factors like urbanization, climate change, and digitalization impact development, with a strong emphasis on rights-based approaches for vulnerable populations. Zigomo concluded by calling for robust, evidence-based policies and investments in population programs to shape the future of Africa’s development.
The Iceland-UNFPA partnership, initiated in 2020, has brought transformative changes to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Mangochi. The collaboration focuses on empowering adolescent girls and women with knowledge and skills on SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV), enabling informed decision-making and the exercise of their rights. A key milestone of this partnership is the establishment of the Lilja Fistula and One Stop Center in Mangochi, which has revolutionized access to fistula care and GBV services by providing specialized facilities closer to the community.
Building on this success, the “Bridging Hope: Empowering Women with Obstetric Fistula in Nkhotakota” project was launched in October 2023, with a budget of US$2,010,106. This initiative, funded by the Icelandic government and implemented by UNFPA in collaboration with the Nkhotakota District Health Office and Freedom from Fistula Foundation, aims to ensure universal access to quality obstetric fistula care and social reintegration for affected women and girls. The project is expected to directly benefit over 2,000 individuals, including 459 fistula survivors, and indirectly support an estimated 117,391 people in the district.
In his remarks, Benediktsson expressed his pride in the successful collaboration between Iceland and Malawi, underscoring the transformative impact of their joint efforts.
“The impressive results achieved in Malawi through our partnership serve as a testament to the power of collaboration and the profound difference it can make in the lives of women and girls,” he affirmed, inspiring hope for continued progress and strengthened partnerships in the future.
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