By Justin Ngong, Communications officer, FP2030 North, West, and Central African Hub
The Central African Republic has made significant strides in advancing its commitment to enhancing family planning services for women across the nation. This commitment reflects a desire to ensure that eligible women have access to necessary resources and support.
As the transition from previous commitments occurs, it’s essential to draft a new policy document, which we can refer to as the FP2030 commitment. This document aims to articulate the country’s renewed drive toward promoting family planning. To facilitate this, all stakeholders within the health sector came together for an important dialogue, working collectively to outline a pathway for this new commitment.
With a population of 5.9 million, the Central African Republic faces a distressing maternal mortality ratio of 835 per 100,000 live births, one of the highest globally, according to UNFPA statistics from 2024. The high rate of unmet need for family planning exacerbates public health concerns, highlighting the urgency for the nation to align with global initiatives to enhance access to modern contraception. This is crucial for fostering socio-economic development.
The drafting of the new FP2030 commitment took shape during a three-day workshop organized by the ministry, co-sponsored by FP2030 through its North, West and Central African Hub based in Abuja, Nigeria. This collaborative effort brought together stakeholders to discuss and brainstorm around the family planning landscape in the country. The result was a working document outlining clear objectives and a strategic vision for family planning leading up to vision 2030.
The active participation of diverse stakeholders during the workshop showcased a united commitment to improving access to family planning services, ultimately aiming to reduce maternal mortality rates.
Local partners, such as UNFPA, play a vital role in supporting these initiatives. Their collaboration emphasizes a shared vision of achieving sustainable development goals through improved healthcare access. The anticipated signing and launch of the FP2030 commitment will pave the way for a sustainable approach, ensuring that every woman and girl in the Central African Republic has the right to access modern family planning services and comprehensive sexual reproductive health care.
