World Population Day 2012

UNFPA and the Government of Indonesia Reaffirm Commitment to Achieve Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services

Kupang, NTT — Despite achieving important progress in family planning, maternal health, HIV prevention, and adolescent reproductive health, universal access to reproductive health services in Indonesia remains an unfinished agenda.

“UNFPA is committed to continue its support of the Government in achieving the goal of universal access to reproductive health services for the people of Indonesia,” said UNFPA Representative Mr. Jose Ferraris during a speech opening commemoration ceremonies for World Population Day in Indonesia on 11 July in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. This year, WPD in Indonesia is being commemorated for the first time outside of Jakarta.

Mr. Ferraris noted that UNFPA aims to improve national and subnational institutional capacity to implement gender-sensitive, high-quality reproductive health services that address maternal health, family planning, adolescent reproductive health, and the prevention of HIV, as well as responses in emergency situations. The theme of “universal access to reproductive health” was selected this year to reenergize global commitments toward achieving this goal.

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, said in his statement commemorating World Population Day that UNFPA reaffirms its commitment to work with all of its partners to ensure that universal access to reproductive health, especially voluntary family planning, is recognized as key element of the new international development agenda after 2015, and of all development and poverty reduction plans and policies.

As part of the commemorations in Kupang, a seminar and discussion on reproductive health issues was held, at which the keynote speaker was Dr. Slamet Riyadi Yuwono, the director general of nutrition and mother and children’s health at the Ministry of Health. Dr. Stefanus Bria Seran, the head of the Provincial Health Office; Mr. Kusnadi, the head of the provincial BKKBN; Ms. Elizabeth Lies Rengka, chairperson of the Indonesian Midwives’ Association; and Ms. Moudy Taupan, a Youth Advisory Panel member, also spoke.

East Nusa Tenggara is one of three provinces that have been selected as a strategic area of focus by the United Nations in Indonesia. In the context of reproductive health services, NTT is among the provinces in Indonesia with highest level of maternal mortality, as well as other issues in the reproductive health sector, including a constant rate of unmet need in family planning.

The province’s maternal mortality rate was reported at 307 deaths per 100,000 live births, well above the national figure of 228. The provincial government has pledged a strong commitment to improve maternal and children’s health through its Mother and Children’s Health Revolution programme, Revolusi Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak (Revolusi KIA), which began in 2009.

UNFPA has committed to strengthen its support to the government of NTT in addressing issues of reproductive health in the province through several programmes that improve family planning and maternal health, create a private sector-led model for adolescent reproductive health information and services, and use population data for development planning.

The commemoration of WPD in Kupang has also engaged young people through a youth-led campaign on reproductive health education that, as part of commemoration ceremonies, staged a futsal competition and fun games wherein young people learned about reproductive health issues.

For further information about WPD please contact Communications Officer Ms. Agustina Wayansari by email, wayansari@unfpa.org, or phone, 0812 1068341.

UNFPA is an international development agencythat is committed to fulfilling the vision of a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Tags: World Population Day, Reproductive Health, Population