By Iliya Kure
Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) has unveiled new offices in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria and Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
FP2030 is a global partnership working with governments, civil society, multilateral organizations, donors, the private sector, and the research and development community to enable millions more women to use contraceptives no matter where they live.
The Abuja office will to serve North, West and Central Africa, while the Nairobi office will serve East and Southern Africa.
An announcement on the FP2030 website, by its Executive Director, Samu Dube states, “We’re thrilled to finally be able to announce the first two FP2030 regional hubs outside of North America: the North, West, & Central Africa Hub will be based in Abuja, Nigeria, and hosted by Population Council, Nigeria; and the East & Southern Africa Hub will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and hosted by Amref Health Africa.”
“The statement adds, Launching these two hubs is a critical next step in building the new FP2030 Support Network. We plant to announce two additional hubs, the Latin America & Caribbean Hub and the Asia & the Pacific Hub, later this year. All hubs should be operational by the International Conference on Family Planning in November.”
In its announcement on its website, on hosting the FP2030 Office in Abuja, Population Council says it has been working with the Nigerian government and partners in the country for more than five decades in “meeting the needs of marginalized populations, including adolescent girls and young women, and to promoting access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and family planning services.
“The North, West, and Central African regional hub will cover 30 countries in the region. It will provide staff expertise in country engagement, youth partnerships, advocacy and accountability, high-impact family planning practices, as well as fundraising and communications. It will support FP2030 partners in the region with regards to developing their FP2030 commitments, as well as technical support in specific topical areas across the advocacy spectrum—notably with regards to the needs of youth, humanitarian crisis services and preparation, and health integration.
“The Population Council was chosen through a rigorous and transparent selection process led by members of FP2030’s Transition Oversight Group. Population Council Nigeria is a well-established and well-respected organization with a mission that aligns with the values of FP2030. The hub based in Population Council Nigeria will empower FP2030’s regional partners to better collaborate with and access the FP2030 network and will help deepen relationships across member countries.
The website quotes its Vice President for International Programmes, Harriet Birungi, saying, “the Population Council has worked for nearly 70 years to address critical health and development issues related to family planning, reproductive health, and gender-based violence,”
“We look forward to facilitating collaboration, coordination, and engagement in the spirit of pan-African solidarity, to achieve progress for family planning in the region.”
