Nairobi, Kenya: Addressing fellow leaders, President Danny Faure made a high-level commitment statement this morning, committing Seychelles to attain several targets in the health and social development arena. This event forms part of the first day of the Nairobi Summit, a conference to mobilise the political will and financial commitments to advance the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, which sets out to empower women and girls.
President Faure committed to improve universal health coverage management through people-centred systems. He pledged to strive for zero preventable maternal, neonatal and child deaths, and ensure zero unmet need for family planning information and services by 2023. He also committed to integrate a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health interventions into national policies and strategies. Furthermore, he committed to establishing a National Framework for Action on Healthy Ageing by 2022, and continue the fight against gender-based violence and gender stereotyping.
“We are committed to maintain a minimum of 10% of the annual budget towards the national health sector to create financing momentum. We further commit to provide support to civil society organisations to access funding for health-related projects, including sexual and reproductive health, during the period of 2020-2025 and beyond,” said the President.
He also spoke on the government’s commitment to ensure older people are empowered to age actively and healthily with equal rights in society. He pledged to review the policies governing the Home Care Scheme by 2020 and develop comprehensive programmes for elderly care by 2022. He also emphasised government’s commitment to the fight against gender-based violence and discrimination, pledging to review all discriminatory laws by 2021 and conduct a comprehensive review of education and training policies and programmes to identify gender stereotyping by 2022.
The Nairobi Summit is being held under the theme, “Accelerating the promise”, and marks the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). ICPD, adopted by 179 governments, recognises that reproductive health as well as women’s empowerment and gender quality, are the pathway to sustainable development.