African governments urged to recommit to people-centred development

Abstract

The report, called ICPD and MDGs: Working as one, reviews the progress achieved by African governments and the challenges they face in implementing population, gender, and other social development policies since a Plan of Action was first adopted 15 years ago in Cairo. The review report, which will be released by UNECA during the conference, highlights some concerns including the facts that: Africa still has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Most of these deaths could be prevented if a few measures were put in place, including: access to skilled personnel at the time of birth, prompt emergency obstetric care if things go wrong and access to quality family planning methods; High population numbers are hurting development on the continent. There is a direct correlation between high fertility and poverty in Africa, which has led to a dilution of poverty reduction programs.