Society

Strengthening sexual, reproductive health: Cameroon to benefit from Canada’s 4.4 billion FCFA-donation to Sub-Saharan Africa.

File photo of UNFPA peer educators deployed at the University Games in Garoua

Cameroon is set to benefit from a donation from Canada worth over 4.4 billion FCFA (US$7.2 million) to strengthen sexual and reproductive health some 11 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The donation from the Canadian government’s Global Affairs, will boosts the efforts of the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, to respond to severe humanitarian needs in 13 sub-Saharan African countries over the next two years.

According to the UNFPA, the funding will specifically support the provision of comprehensive sexual and gender-based violence response services, reinforce local capacity to deliver them and raise awareness on key health issues and promote access to services in humanitarian contexts.

Cameroon will benefit from the donation alongside Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan.

Meanwhile, Canada has also committed US$2.2 million in flexible funding to UNFPA’s Humanitarian Thematic Fund to support a timely response to unforeseen or emerging crises and underfunded emergencies.

Global Affairs Canada’s grant underscores the international community's solidarity with those affected by humanitarian crises and reaffirms the value of joining forces in addressing global challenges.

UNFPA has equally recognizes Global Affairs Canada’s commitment towards the health and well-being of women and girls.

It is worth noting that Canada is among UNFPA’s top donors, and was its 9th-largest donor in 2023.

As part of its Feminist International Assistance Policy, the government of Canada made a 10-year commitment to reach an average of $1.4 billion in funding each year by 2023 to support women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health around the world; $700 million of this funding is dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Canada is scaling up investments in underfunded areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including in the health and rights of adolescents through comprehensive sexuality education and supporting family planning and advocating for the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Issue No:3159 of Friday July 5, 2024