UNFPA stresses sustainable access to contraception for women, girls relies on national investment
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has stressed that sustainable access to contraception, especially for women and girls, relies on greater national investments.
The assertion was made by the UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, Muriel Mafico in her key message delivered by Deborah Tabara, Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst and State Programme Officer Bauchi, on Saturday, while participating in the commemorative road walk in celebration of the 2026 World Contraception Day organised by the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board under the leadership of the Executive Chairman, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, with UNFPA Theme: “Scaling up investment for greater contraceptive choice.”
According to her, “This year’s events aims to break myths and raise critical awareness about reproductive health and advocate for safe voluntary family planning options across our communities.”
She commented the Bauchi State Government for funding the procurement of family planning commodities and encouraged to sustain its domestic funding in family planning, demonstrating the commitment to building resilient, nationally owned healthcare as a sustained investment in contraception delivers lasting, substantial health and economic returns.
It includes saving lives, reducing healthcare expenditure, and supporting productive employment and education. by contrast, underinvestment shifts the cost onto individual women and families, often locking the most marginalized into poverty and out of choices for better lives.
Muriel Mafico added that, “Investment in contraception must put choice in women’s hands. Many women still do not have the number of children they want, for reasons including a lack of access to contraception or to the contraceptives they prefer.”
She added that, “To overcome these barriers, increased investment in family planning must include extending supply chains that reliably deliver contraceptives to every person who wants them, whether they are in a remote village, a humanitarian crisis or a minority community. “
The Resident Representative also said that, “To uphold the right to choose, everyone should have reliable access to a selection of contraceptives that are quality-assured and readily available. To turn contraceptive access into reproductive agency, women must be able to say yes, no or not yet.”
She stressed that, “To turn contraceptive access into reproductive agency, women must be able to say yes, no or not yet. Having the reproductive agency to decide if, when and how many children to have is anchored in having choices about whether to use contraception, which methods, and when to stop, start or change a method.”
According to her, “Beyond contraceptives themselves, exercising reproductive agency requires accurate information to make informed decisions and support new choices if reproductive intentions evolve.”
“Gender equality, economic stability, trust in health systems and freedom from coercion are all basic conditions that enable and uphold reproductive agency,” She concluded.
