…under theme of gender equality
BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
MBABANE – “Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities.”
This was the theme of the launch event for the 2023 State of the World Population Report. The report was launched by Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Thambo Gina yesterday, at an event commemorating World Population Day 2023.
Speaking at the launch event, Minister Gina noted that the theme was a reminder to put women and girls at the centre of development so as to create a better world for the benefit of all.
The Minister revealed that women and girls make up about 51% of the population in Eswatini, which is enough reason to involve them in major decision-making processes on matters that are of significance to their lives.
“I am happy to highlight that the Government of Eswatini is fully committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment and has ratified a number of regional, continental and international instruments as a demonstration of this commitment,” said the Minister.
Speaking about the World Population Report, Minister Gina noted that the report established that a number of countries were adopting policies aimed at raising, lowering or maintaining fertility rates. He added that while such policies may not necessarily be coercive, the report found that efforts to influence fertility are often associated with diminished levels of human freedoms.
“Eswatini embraces the human rights approach to Sexual and Reproductive Health. As such, our population policy is explicit in terms of enabling emaSwati to achieve their fertility intentions without coercion. Furthermore, the policy outlines Government’s commitment to increasing access to comprehensive and age-appropriate sexuality education for young people,” said Minister Gina.
The Minister’s words were echoed by UNFPA Head of Office Margaret Thwala-Tembe, who espoused the need to harness the power of every human being on the planet.
“When people have the power to make informed choices about whether and when to have children when they can exercise their rights and responsibilities, they can navigate risks and become the foundation of more inclusive, adaptable and sustainable societies,” said the Head of Office.
Minister Gina also revealed that Ministry is finalising the review of the National Population Policy. He said that the review will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of the population policy and ensure that it incorporates emerging issues in keeping with the national and global development agenda on the sustainable development goals.
