United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative Rakoto Victor and Annika Jayawardena, Head for Bilateral Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden, signed the agreement.

The country program which would be implemented in 8 regional states in accordance with the national priorities articulated in the Growth and Transformation Plan II and the various sectoral plans, it was learned.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Head for Bilateral Development Cooperation Annika Jayawardena said her government highly appreciates the strong partnership with UNFPA.

“Sweden is steadfast in its commitment to support gender equality and every individual’s right to sexual and reproductive health and rights with the aim of contributing to the implementation of the ICPD Program of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, she added.

UNFPA Country Representative Rakoto Victor stated on his part that “the support will be very instrumental in realizing the various programmatic interventions stipulated in the Country Program which in turn will help the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, such as reducing maternal death, poverty and gender inequality.”

The Country Program of UNFPA, through its Sexual and Reproductive Health, Population and Development, Gender Program, and Adolescent and Youth Development Components, is designed to address increased access to and use of health services focusing on maternal and new-born health.

According to Victor, it would also address increased capacity of national institutions for evidence-based planning and management of development programs as well as increased participation and decision-making by women and youth in benefiting from the services.

The 8 regional states that the project will be implemented in are Oromia, Amhara, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples, Tigray, Afar, Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz regional states as well as Addis Ababa City.

Source: ENA