Health Experts has call for greater investment in health services in Africa to boost access to reproductive health right s for the poorest and vulnerable.
This call was made on Tuesday during plenary session at the Fourth Africa Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right currently under in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, which brought together more than 300 advocates, funders and policymakers working on sexuality and reproductive health and rights in Africa and throughout the world.
Experts highlighted the need for men and women to commit to achieving gender equality in order to better protect women and girls from gender-based violence, sexual coercion, and other factors that make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection.


Girma Woldegiorgis, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Ethiopia said the issues of reproductive health and sexual rights “are very close to my heart,” President Woldegiorgis, further called for increased access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for the poorest and most vulnerable. He urged participants to “focus on people’s needs rather than numbers,” and how countries can achieve the goals outlined in global and regional agreements, including the Millennium Development Goals and the Maputo Plan of Action.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minister of Health for Ethiopia, said that the fulfillment of sexual rights requires accelerated access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and care.
‘Thanks to the Anti-retroviral treatments (ART) in Africa, cry for antenatal services. Integrating sexual health care into HIV/AIDS programmes has become an urgent matter, or the urge investments that have been made in fighting the AIDS pandemic will fall short of the targets. “Unless we think of providing a continuum of care,” said Dr. Tedros.

He added that “we will fall short” of achieving the MDGs and Maputo. “Integrating sexual and reproductive rights and health into HIV programs has become more important than ever.”

Speakers highlighted the need for men and women to commit to achieving gender equality in order to better protect women and girls from gender-based violence, sexual coercion, and other factors that make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection.


Dr. Esiet called on participants to create an African Men’s Charter to work with women on achieving gender equity. He men have to realize that women are equal partners in the future.
“In many democratic societies, there are privacy laws that don’t allow people to open a mailbox door,” said Tewodros Melesse, Regional Director of IPPF Africa Regional Office.
Bience Phiomina Gawanas, Commission of the Department of Social Affairs for the African Commission revealed that the Conference is part of a long-term process to build and foster regional dialogue on sexual rights and health in order to influence policy, particularly that of the African Union and its bodies. ‘The Conference is being convened under the auspices of the Africa Federation for Sexual Health and Rights, the regional representative body of the World Association for Sexual Health, and hosted by the International Planned Parenthood Federation-Africa Regional Office in collaboration with Action Health Incorporated in Nigeria. “Africa’s time is not coming,” said Commissioner Gawanas, “Africa’s time is now.”
Speakers at a pre- session media briefing also highlighted the need to foster an open and honest dialogue about sexuality and increase advocacy against restrictive laws and attitudes that infringe said on human rights in the context of sexuality.