As Nigeria marks the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, it’s essential to focus on the function of FP in advancing ladies’s rights and empowerment.
Access to FP companies allows ladies to finish their training, take part within the workforce, and contribute meaningfully to society.
Moreover, childbirth spacing considerably reduces maternal and toddler mortality charges, selling more healthy households and stronger communities.
The 2025 theme, ‘Accelerate Action,’ requires fast developments in gender equality. It focuses on recognising methods and instruments that drive ladies’s progress in training, employment, and management.
At DevComs “we strongly assist the theme of the 2025 IWD by accelerating Women’s Access to Family planning (FP), which is greater than only a well being intervention—it’s a catalyst for gender equality, financial empowerment, and sustainable improvement says the Communication/Knowledge Management Officer Suliyat Eletu.
Dr. Taiwo Johnson, the Country lead at The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Nigeria asserts that “by allowing women to make informed choices about their reproductive health, FP/Childbirth Spacing ensures better health outcomes, improved economic opportunities, and enhanced quality of life for families and communities.”
TCI has been supporting the federal government of Nigeria since 2017, offering technical assist to 22 States throughout the nation for a sustainable native response to the wants of ladies and households.
Managed by The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP), TCI’s Nigeria hub accelerates the confirmed to work high-impact household planning approaches and gives steerage to self-selected states, native authorities areas (LGAs), and companions keen to spend money on household planning.
New states, cities, and companions ask for technical and monetary teaching and mentoring to implement profitable household planning programming to match their investments.
FP/Childbirth Spacing is a cornerstone for reaching a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), significantly these targeted on ladies’s well being, financial progress, and gender equality:
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): FP reduces unintended pregnancies, lowers maternal and baby mortality, and ensures higher well being outcomes for girls and infants.
SDG 4 (Quality Education): When ladies and ladies have entry to FP, they’re extra prone to full their training and pursue financial alternatives.
SDG 5 (Gender Equality): FP empowers ladies by giving them management over their reproductive decisions, selling equality in decision-making inside households and communities.
SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Women who can plan their households usually tend to take part within the workforce and contribute to financial improvement.
SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Expanding FP companies ensures that weak populations, together with these in rural and conflict-affected areas, have entry to important reproductive healthcare.
SDG 13 (Climate Action): Managing inhabitants progress by FP helps scale back environmental pressures and helps sustainable useful resource administration.
Despite important efforts, challenges proceed to hinder FP accessibility in Nigeria, together with:
Cultural and non secular resistance to trendy contraceptives.
Stockouts of FP commodities because of provide chain disruptions.
Inadequate funding and coverage gaps limiting service growth.
Misconceptions and myths discouraging contraceptive use.
Limited male involvement in FP decision-making.
Poor healthcare entry, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas.
Weak logistics administration programs affecting FP commodity availability.
To maintain the good points of FP for the longer term the nation should guarantee continued progress, by:
Institutionalizing FP coaching in medical and nursing faculties.
Strengthening FP commodity safety by improved provide chains.
Integrating FP into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) applications.
Fostering group possession by collaboration with CSOs and conventional leaders.
Expanding authorities dedication to FP budgeting and funding.
As we have fun International Women’s Day, it’s clear that household planning is not only about reproductive well being—it’s about empowering ladies to plan their futures.
TCI work within the six geopolitical zones throughout Nigeria, the place actual progress is being made by advocacy, training, and community-led interventions. The journey is ongoing, however with sustained dedication, a future the place each lady can entry FP companies inside attain.
Where we work (TCI)