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Zambian MPs tackle population issues to improve people’s quality of life – Global issues

Delegates from the Zambia All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (ZAPPD) met in Lusaka to develop a strategic plan to address population and development issues.  Credit: APDA
Delegates from the Zambia All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (ZAPPD) met in Lusaka to develop a strategic plan to address population and development issues. Credit: APDA
  • by Cecilia Russell (johannesburg)
  • Associated Press Service

However, a workshop of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (ZAPPD) held in Lusaka also said that many challenges need to be addressed. The Zambia All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (ZAPPD) was established in 1997 to provide capacity for population and development and strengthen the commitment of MPs. It was one of the first National Commissions on Population and Development, established in East and South Africa.

The workshop was supported by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with the participation of a number of expert researchers who addressed the prospects for developing countries.

Lester Phiri from the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) notes that much work is needed for the country to achieve its Vision 2030 goal of becoming a prosperous middle-income country.

Phiri noted that while the economy grows, with more mothers surviving childbirth and healthier and better-educated children – this does not “automatically lead to the overall development of the nation.” and improve quality of life”.

To achieve Vision 2030, it is necessary to address remarkably high levels of poverty, especially in rural areas, where 76.6% of people are considered poor, which needs to be addressed.

The unemployment rate is high and access to empowerment programs is limited, Phiri said.

Another problem is the high birth rate and maternal mortality rate of 252 per 100,000 births.

Research indicates that at least one in five married women have an unmet need for family planning.

The development of Zambia will benefit from the explained benefit of a healthy and educated population by addressing the issue of family planning.

“Couples with smaller families are better able to provide for their children, save money and escape poverty,” Phiri said. “In fact, studies show that changing the population structure by age can lead to a 47% increase in per capita income.”

Worryingly, gender-based violence is at a high level, with almost half (47%) of ever-married women reporting having experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence.

Answering why, if the economy is growing, there is still widespread poverty, Phiri noted that Zamia is one of the fastest growing populations in the world. By 2030, the population is estimated at 19 million people, which will increase to 24 million people and 41 million people by 2050.

This means that at the “community and household level, there is a large number of dependents, which affects the ability of working people to save money and escape poverty”.

Phiri advised MPs to work to improve child survival rates and reduce fertility by promoting voluntary family planning.

Another problem that needs to be overcome is the high dropout rate. The benefits to society will be huge if the country increases the completion rate of high school among young people, especially girls. Other programs should include investing in comprehensive sex education and creating a policy environment conducive to economic activity in early childhood and post-secondary and tertiary education to combat unemployment and promote spirituality. business nerve.

“If we invest in the health and education of our people, especially women and girls, we could see a different Zambia in the years to come,” Phiri said at the panel.

Ifoma Mulewa, a sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) researcher at the National Assembly of Zambia, says these goals can be achieved through energetic and dedicated parliamentarians.

She said that MPs should be proactive in making moves on population issues; they should participate in population debates in the House of Representatives and congressional committees and through surveillance visits.

They may also conduct public hearings to gain broader community and stakeholder views on population issues.

She called on them to continue to put pressure on the Executive to comply with international protocols on population and growth.

Phiri agrees and says that there is not enough commitment to population and development in the allocation, disbursement and use of the national budget. It is also important to balance the law – for example, on child marriage, where customary law and law are not harmonized.

He said Zambia has a legislative framework in place to ensure Zambia remains on track to achieve its Vision 2030 goals, including the Population Policy Implementation Plan (2019-2030), the 8th National Development Plan (2022-2026), Implementation Plan with Family Planning Costs (2021-2026) and National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage.

It also has a youth government, including the Education Act 2011, Comprehensive Sexual Education Framework, and the National Youth Policy (2015).

The Gender Equality and Gender Equality Act (2015) ends discrimination against women.

However, MPs should engage more with the community on population and development issues.

The workshop, attended by about 35 delegates and 22 members of the National Assembly, provided important comments for a strategic plan on population of ZAPPD. The new members of the ZAPPD, under the leadership of Hon Princess Kasune MP, are working towards addressing the Commission’s contribution to the implementation of the ICPD25 commitments.

Report of the United Nations Office IPS


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© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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