In 2012, events and initiatives flourished to help put family planning, maternal and reproductive health, higher on the rights, socio-economic development agenda in Uganda, culminating into a special launch of the State of the World (SWOP) and State of the Uganda Population Reports (SUPRE) on December 13th. Lively debate ensued on action needed to address the unmet need for family planning and slowing down the pace of growth in the population in order for investment to take root and payoff.

In her statement, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative, Ms. Janet Jackson said this year’s SWOP sets out a case for investing in family planning in today’s context, putting people at the center of development – in terms of respecting human rights, offering choice and a complete range of quality comprehensive health services for women, men and young people, analyzing population data for planning access through a variety of approaches to suit especially those most in need and vulnerable.

“This year’s report addresses the challenge of universal access to voluntary family planning – with a focus on first closing the gap in unmet need,” said Ms. Jackson. In her address, Uganda’s Minister of Finance Hon. Maria Kiwanuka, who presided over the ceremony said, “Government is struggling to increase allocation of resources to the health sector. We are doing what we can but the hindrance is that we have competing needs in the midst of a constrained resource envelope.” She noted that the government is committed to investing in the needs of the high population of young people to transform them into an economically productive and competitive labour force.

UNFPA Country Representative commended the government for increasing funding for family planning, following the London Summit on Family Planning in July 2012, and called for this commitment to be translated to actual budget allocation and availability of services. Special effort, she noted, must be made to reach young people, those in rural and hard-to-each areas with appropriate family planning information and services.

At the event, journalists from different media houses around the country were recognized for their contribution in reporting on population and reproductive health issues. The event that was organized by the Population Secretariat and UNFPA took place at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.