Kampala, Uganda – On 27th November, the Government of Uganda endorsed the Ninth Government of Uganda/United Nations Population Fund (GoU/UNFPA) Country Programme, at a high-level meeting that was convened by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, through the National Population Council.
Mr. Alain Sibenaler, the UNFPA Representative in Uganda presented the Ninth Country Programme to government dignitaries, including the State of Finance for Planning, Hon. David Bahati; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Henry Okello Oryem; the Director General National Population Council, Dr. Jotham Musinguzi; Permanent Secretaries and Directors from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies; as well as the UN Resident Coordinator, H.E. Rosa Malango.
This development comes just a day after the Uganda Cabinet passed the National Population Policy 2020-2025.
“First, let me congratulate my brother, Minister David Bahati for the approval and passing by Cabinet, the National Population Policy,” said Minister Oryem, addressing participants at the high-level meeting.
“It is now my singular honour to join the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in formally endorsing the 2021-2025 Government of Uganda/UNFPA Country Programme and recommend it for approval by the Executive Board of UNFPA, UNDP and UNOPs,” said Minister Oryem.
The Ninth GoU/UNPA Country Programme was developed through a highly consultative process and builds on the work started during the implementation of the Eighth Country Programme.
Through the Programme, the Government of Uganda and UNFPA envision to facilitate universal access for women and young people in Uganda to quality, integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights.
It focuses on four broad areas to: i) increase national capacity to provide and ensure universal access to high quality, integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights; ii) ensure that women and young people are empowered to make informed choices and utilize high quality, integrated, sexual and reproductive health and rights information, and services; iii) strengthen capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and other harmful practices; and iv) strengthen population data systems so as to address inequalities and ensure fulfilment of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) commitments.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator confirmed that the GoU/UNFPA Ninth Country Programme is aligned with the national and global development frameworks.
“My role as the UN Resident Coordinator, within the spirit of the UN reforms is to confirm that UNFPA’s Country Programme is in full compliancy of our reform,” said H.E. Malango.
“UNFPA Country Programme is fully aligned to the UN Cooperation Framework and by doing so, it is sufficient to support the implementation of the National Development Plan III, the National Vision 2040, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.
Through the Programme, Government of Uganda and the United Nations committed to work tirelessly to deliver integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights, all of which are aimed at ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled, ensuring that no one is left behind.
See also UNFPA Uganda’s latest publication, Right(s) here: Delivering SRHR under COVID-19: https://uganda.unfpa.org/en/publications/rights-here-delivering-srhr-under-covid-19
By Prossy Jonker Nakanjako
