2014 World Population Day Observed
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 11th July 2014 commemorated World Population Day at its new headquarters on Signal Hill Road, Congo Cross in Freetown on the theme ‘Smart Choice, Invest in Young People.’ A cross section of the audience at the ceremony
Chairing the program, the Development Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), Mr. John Sumaila revealed that increase in education and health has accelerated economic gains around the world and informed that the number of births decline each year citing the case of Rwanda where great progress has been made like much of Africa.
He added that the International Conference on Population and Development gives unprecedented attention to young people, informed that the population in Sierra Leone is made up of youths and disclosed that youths between the ages of 15-24 account for new HIV infections underscoring that investing in young people is essential.
Mr. John Sumaila went on to state that Government has transformed the Population Secretariat to a Commission to tackle major population issues, an indication of Government’s commitment to a population policy and concern for population issues which he asserted would be addressed.
He also commended UNFPA for assisting Government in various ways citing projects for vulnerable girls, HIV prevention in the military and police, provision of motorized ambulances to remote communities and appealed for capacity building underscoring that commemoration of the day would further heighten the commitment of stakeholders to population issues.
The UNFPA Representative in Sierra Leone, Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi made a presentation on how to harness the demographic dividend in Sierra Leone, the strategic direction of UNFPA for the next five years including its focus to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity underlining that adolescents, women and youths are its primary beneficiaries.
He also talked on population dynamics, family planning and contraceptives, demographic dividend and pointed out that Sierra Leone has a rapidly growing population with evidence of decline in fertility citing the recent Demographic Health Survey.
The UNFPA Representative also called for right based in family planning, the need to address high fertility and prevent early child marriage, comprehensive girls and women’s empowerment, evidence based data to engage decision–makers in addition to working with Government and partners to strengthen the resilience of the people.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, David McLachlan-Karr disclosed that one of the most important days in the UN calendar is World Population Day and underscored that UNFPA is the nexus between population and development for which it now receives a considerable chunk of the UN budget unlike in the past and commended UNFPA for its good work in Sierra Leone.
He went on to state that this year’s theme is relevant to Sierra Leone where two thirds of the population is under 35 years, emphasized that the theme is an opportunity to invest in young people and expressed satisfaction that Government has put premium on youth issues.
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr further assured that the UN would work in joint programs on youth issues with the twelve UN Agencies in the country to tailor interventions for youths maintaining that adolescents and youths are central to the development agenda.
According to the UNDP Resident Coordinator, unlike in the past, youths are now included in the decision-making process giving as example the Constitutional Review Process in which they are participating assuring that the UN would work with the National Youth Commission to convey the voices of young people go Government and guaranteed the UN’s support to the National Youth Commission asserting that investing in young people makes sense for today and the future.
The Minister of Youth Affairs, Mr. Alimamy Kamara revealed that with the current level of statistics, the odds are against young people enlightening that 76% of the population is below the age of 35 which means that there is a huge opportunity for Sierra Leone to make good on its development goals “if we realign our investment targets to respond to this increase in the population.”
The wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Kadija Sam Sumana disclosed that since 1990, World Population Day has been commemorated to highlight population and development issues, stressed that the theme is significant to Sierra Leone due to this year’s census to be conducted in December and appealed for attention to be focused on young people.
The wife of the Vice President also informed that Government has made tremendous progress to address youth issues including preventing early marriage, unsafe abortion and admonished all to think of best strategies to address issues of young people such as safe passage from adolescent to youths and commended all for supporting the cause of young people.
In his keynote address, the Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Economic
Development, Alhaji Foday Mansaray revealed that on 5th July 2012, the Government of Sierra Leone signed the Sexual Reproductive Health Policy and emphasized that UN Agencies are important partners in the country’s development aspirations intimating that the UN assistance is aligned with Government’s Agenda for Prosperity.
According to Alhaji Mansaray, Government is supporting young people to prevent HIV/AIDS and STIs as well as multi-lateral projects on young people and maintained that the theme is the beginning of the country’s efforts to address issues relating to young people and went on to state that Government would also review the youth policy to address emerging issues.
Fiona Kaikai of UNFPA rendered the vote of thanks while the recently retired Deputy UNFPA Representative, Mrs. Mariama Diarra was recognized for her diligent and commitment service to the organization.
A ten-minute skit performance by Restless Development titled ‘Invest in Youths’, a musical performance by Millicent Rhodes titled ‘Virtuous Woman’ and a conducted tour of the new UNFPA headquarters climaxed the event.
According to a documentary showed during the event, 40% of the world’s population is under 15 years and that the demographic dividend has three key elements that are increase in child survival, spacing births, preventing unwanted pregnancies as well as educating girls.
According to the documentary film, low fertility and mortality open windows of opportunities and that as birth rate declines, there is increase in income per capital for households and that good governance, political stability, the rule of law and low corruption can lead to increase in the welfare of the people in addition to a high quality workforce.
Kongbap Sumner.
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