By PASSY HAACHIZO –
SWEDISH and Zambian parliamentarians have pledged to join forces in order to come up with a permanent solution of combating challenges pertaining to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
. Chituwo
Zambian delegation leader, Brian Chituwo said the discussion between Zambian and Swedish legislators was based on exchanging notes and coming up with an indelible solution towards the SRHR problem that was on the rise.
Dr Chituwo said this during the parliamentary interaction between Zambian and Swedish lawmakers at Parliament buildings in Lusaka yesterday.
He said Zambia being a member of the international community could not be left out in such a development which other nations had benefited from.
The discussion, which focused on a revision in line with the commitment of Zambia at the London Summit in 2012, hinged on family planning and reproductive health rights as the only and better stance to reduce on maternal deaths.
“The London Summit of 2012 was in view of family planning and reproductive health rights on the increase of the contraceptive prevalence from 27 to 58 per cent, among others,” Dr Chituwo said.
Dr Chituwo said it was no longer a secret that family planning played a pivotal role in the issue of SRHR which left an impact on the economic strides of any nation either positively or negatively.
He, however, emphasised the need for members of Parliament to debate and see how they could kick out the 1972 Act which was in favour of abortion as it led to more harm than good to women’s’ health.
Swedish parliamentarian team Annika Lillemets said it was cardinal that the collaboration between the two nations continued as the countries had similar challenges in as far as SRHR was concerned.
Ms Lillemets said the interaction was not only for parliamentarians but with the community as well and they had indicated the need to tighten the fight.
“We understand Zambia is a huge country and most people live in rural areas, which means most of them do not have access to vast knowledge about sexual and health rights, hence the need to join forces as parliamentarians and see how we can deliver the message to all parts of the two countries,” Ms Lillemets said.
