LILONGWE, Malawi - The United Nations Population Fund has reconfirmed its commitment to support the Malawi Parliament with technical assistance on population and development, and sexual reproductive including family planning to allow for development of laws and policies on the same that benefits women, adolescent girls and youth in Malawi.
Speaking during a courtesy call visit to the Speaker of Parliament on February 22, UNFPA Representative, Ms. Nelida Rodrigues said her institution values the role of the Legislature and will work to enhance the longstanding partnership between the two institutions.
“UNFPA’s role is to provide technical assistance on some very scientific inputs that can help in forming opinions and to inform discussions in Parliament,” she told the Speaker. “Parliament can always count on us on the same, and my will be very happy to provide the necessary assistance.”
Currently, UNFPA is working with the Population and Development Caucus, the Health Caucus and the Women Caucus to advocate for the prioritization of sexual and reproductive health in policy formulation through advocacy and lobbying in and outside Parliament.
UNFPA has also collaborated with the Malawi Parliament by offering technical support to various caucuses, which has seen the House passing laws that respond to the needs of Malawians. Some of the laws that UNFPA and partners managed to influence enactment or amendments are the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act and the Gender Equality Act of 2014 which became Law in 2015, among other key legislation.
During the meeting, Ms. Rodrigues also raised concern on the rapid population growth the country is currently experiencing. She noted that Malawi population is increasing at an annual growth rate of 2.6 percent.
It’s sad that from this figure, teenagers are contributing a quarter of all pregnancies
Teenage pregnancy rate is currently at 29 percent, which one of the highest in the sub-region.
In her remarks, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Catherine Gotani Hara said Members of Parliament are also concerned with the pace the Malawi population is growing. She said Malawi doesn’t have the resources to cater for the rapidly growing population hence the need for all stakeholders to come together to manage the situation.
“We have so many young girls having babies from as early as 14 years. After becoming young mothers, they drop out of school. That’s just one example showing us that’s, as Parliamentarians, we need to do something about the issue of teen pregnancies.”
Hon. Gotani Hara also bemoaned the diminishing interest in issues to do with family planning saying many stakeholders’ focus has shifted to other areas such as Covid-19 and recently the cholera outbreak.
“Family planning is no longer attractive for many, which is compounding the problem as everybody’s attention is now on these other emerging issues,” she said adding, “As a country, we definitely need do something about it.”
By Joseph Scott, Communications Analyst
