Yesterday in Abuja, as Nigeria and Africa Member of the International Steering Council for the International Conference on Population and Development ICPD25 and ICPD30, and as a Friend of UNFPA, I welcomed my dear colleague, sister and friend, Dr Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA and United Nations Under-Secretary-General, once again to Nigeria as we marked a major milestone, in launching the 2024 State of the World Population #SWOP Report, Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope, Ending Inequalities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Coming together to weave a path forward, and ensure that the next 30 years of progress includes everyone, the report highlight that while progress has been made, it is not being done so fast enough, nor far-reaching enough. Gender-based violence remains rampant in nearly every country and community, and there has been zero reduction in maternal mortality since 2016 globally, with the current lifetime risk of a Nigerian woman dying during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum or post-abortion care about 1 in 22, and many African women still unable to exercise decisions on their health, an imperative human right.

As a core frontline community stakeholder committed to achieving the ICPD Programme of Action, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa is committed to; zero unmet needs for family planning and services, zero preventable maternal and infant deaths, zero sexual and gender-based violence including early and forced marriage, as well as ending female genital mutilation, through advocating for and implementing programming which emphasises the importance of keeping girls in school, prioritises family planning, reduces inequality in health access, works towards combating HIV/AIDS, and fosters wellbeing spaces which are lowering maternal and infant mortality rates globally.

Our vision for the future must be a future for all, and as it gains momentum, in which strengthening the rights and welfare of individuals reinforces those of the collective, I commend and congratulate key leaders, Honourable Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman, National Population Commission Nigeria, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator represented by the Country Representative UNICEF Nigeria, Ms Christian Munduate, H.E. Professor Muhammad Ali Pate CON, in his capacity as Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and representing Their Excellencies the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima CON respectively, Chairman, Senate Committee on Population, Senator Mustapha Musa, His Royal Highness the Emir of Shonga, Royal Fathers and Traditional Rulers Development Partners, H.E. Richard Montgomery the British High Commissioner, H.E. Jamie Christoff, Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria, all members of the Diplomatic Community, and Friends of UNFPA, for their solidarity at this pivotal point in history towards faster progress in ending marginalization and discrimination.

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