THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Population & Development Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty Volume 10 No.17 July, 2009 July 2008 Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty 1 Contents Statements on The Occasion of World Population Day 2009 2 Addressing The Global Economic Crisis While Fighting Inequalities 6 Relating Economic Crisis to Health 8 ‘Investing In Sexual and Reproductive Health in Times of Economic Crisis’ 10 High Population Growth Rate Undermines Uganda’s Development Goals 12 Where is Population Growing Most Rapidly? 15 The Real Story of Global Population 16 Climate Change Likely to Worsen Poverty Amongst Ugandans 18 Fulfilling Our Promises to Women 23 HIV Prevention and Poverty Reduction 25 Promoting the Health and Development of Young People 27 Cost of Child Index (CCI) as Basis for Population Issues Advocacy 29 Katakwi District Profile 30 2 Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty July 2009 MESSAGE ON WORLD POPULATION DAY 2009 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR, POPULATION SECRETARIAT ganda has been observing World Population Day since 1989 and has been using this occasion to Uraise critical awareness, mobilize commitment and support among the country’s leadership in government, civil society, the private sector, donor community, the media and the general public, about the country’s population issues that need their attention. Every year, key stakeholders and partners in the population programmes get together to plan and map out strategic interventions that will ensure the success of the national celebrations and amplify population issues in the host District. The celebrations for World Population Day 2009, have been planned more deliberately and strategically. Each year, the commemoration focuses on a theme deemed deserving the attention of decision makers to address it in terms of policy decision, programmes, strategies and resource allocation. This year’s theme is even more appropriate in the context of the global economic crisis that has hit economies the world over. It is common knowledge that the fairer sex, the women of this world are bearing the brunt of this global catastrophe the hardest. This is why the global theme for this year’s World Population Day focuses on ‘Investing in Women is a Smart choice.’ In line with this the national theme focuses on “Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty” and the national celebrations are being hosted by Katakwi District. This year’s national theme is even more important in as far as the financial crisis is threatening to wipe out hard-won progress in improving health and reducing poverty. As the crisis unwinds, it threatens to push 200 million people back into poverty and reverse efforts aimed at improving social welfare and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Population Secretariat calls upon all stakeholders to use this year’s World Population Day to inform, provoke discussion, and mobilize political and financial support that will translate into policy and programme implementation that will translate into improved livelihoods for the men, women and children in the communities around us. We would also like to use this year’s World Population Day as a platform to raise awareness about poverty issues that are rife in Teso region and sound a call to all stakeholders to join hands to contribute towards improving the plight of our brothers and sisters in Teso region. World Population Day is an opportunity to take stock of the achievements, we have so far made, towards improving the quality of life and standard of living of our people and to reflect on the challenges that confront each country regarding its population concerns, with a view to addressing them. We call upon the country’s leadership at all levels, policy makers, civil society, the private sector, donor community, the media and the general public to join us in ‘Empowering Communities to overcome the challenges of poverty.’ Happy World Population Day. Charles Zirarema Ag. Director Population Secretariat July 2008 Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty 3 MESSAGE ON WORLD POPULATION DAY 2009 Statement from Ban Ki Moon UN Secretary -General n the midst of the worst global economic crisis jobs, to have fewer and healthier children and Iin generations, we must find the most to enjoy safer childbirth. effective ways to continue progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. And investing in women’s health, especially There is no better path than the focus of this reproductive health, can not only save the lives year’s World Population Day: ‘Investing in of half a million mothers, but also unleash an women and girls’. estimated $15 billion in productivity each year. As we commemorate the 15th anniversary of the As budgets tighten, the crisis threatens to wipe International Conference on Population and out hard-won progress in improving health and Development, let us accelerate efforts to reducing poverty. When household incomes achieve universal access to reproductive health decline, girls are more likely to drop out of by 2015. school. When profits decline, women are more likely to lose their employment and sources of On this World Population Day, I call on decision- income. When health systems suffer, women risk makers to protect women’s ability to earn childbirth without life-saving services. Even income, keep their daughters in school, and before the crisis, a mother died every minute obtain reproductive health information and in pregnancy and childbirth, nearly all in services, including voluntary family planning. developing countries where the crisis has pushed Together, let us advance the rights of women women deeper into poverty. and girls, and empower them as highly productive members of society capable of Investing in girls’ education delivers well-known contributing to economic recovery and growth. returns. When girls are educated, they are more There can be no better investment on this day likely to earn higher wages and obtain better or any other. 4 Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty July 2009 MESSAGE ON WORLD POPULATION DAY 2009 Statement from Thoraya Ahmed Obaid Executive Director, UNFPA oday, as we commemorate World Population And investments in reproductive health are TDay, the global financial and economic crisis cost-effective. An investment in threatens to reverse hard-won gains in education contraceptive services can be recouped four and health in developing countries. Among those times over—and sometimes dramatically more hardest hit are women and girls. This is why the over the long-term—by reducing the need for theme of this year’s World Population Day public spending on health, education and other focuses on investing in women. Even before the social services. crisis, women and girls represented the majority of the world’s poor. Now they are falling deeper It is estimated that family planning alone could into poverty and face increased health risks, reduce the number of maternal deaths by as especially if they are pregnant. much as 40 per cent. Today, complications of pregnancy and childbirth Our world today is too complex and are leading killers of women in the developing interconnected to see problems in isolation world. And maternal mortality represents the of each other. When a mother dies, when an largest health inequity in the world. This health orphan child does not get the food or gap will only deepen unless we increase social education he needs, when a young girl grows investments, maintain health gains and expand into a life without opportunities, the efforts to save more women’s lives. consequences extend beyond the existence of these individuals. They diminish the society In countries and communities where women as a whole and lessen chances for peace, have access to reproductive health services— prosperity and stability. such as family planning, skilled attendance at birth and emergency obstetric and neonatal UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, care—survival rates are high and maternal and remains committed to supporting countries to newborn deaths are rare. advance women’s empowerment, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health. Access to reproductive health, in particular family planning and maternal health services, Today, on World Population Day, I call on all helps women and girls avoid unwanted or early leaders to make the health and rights of women pregnancy, unsafe abortions, as well as a political and development priority. Investing pregnancy related disabilities. This means that in women and girls will set the stage not only women stay healthier, are more productive, and for economic recovery, but also for long-term have more opportunities for education, training economic growth that reduces inequity and and employment, which, in turn, benefits entire poverty. There is no smarter investment in families, communities and nations. troubled times. July 2008 Empowering Communities to Overcome Challenges of Poverty 5 Addressing the global economic crisis while fighting inequalities Health Ministers’ and It is also true that the fall in “Who will suffer most from the A Experts meeting in value of many currencies economic crisis? Who suffers Oslo, Norway, earlier this across Europe is raising the year, called for viable price of health-related the most in a war? Who will solutions to the economic commodities, such as suffer most from climate crisis, which do not pharmaceuticals and medical change? The answer is always threaten health devices. Some countries for the same. It is the poor and objectives, despite example, report disadvantaged in countries, and budgetary constraints. It is pharmaceutical price poor and disadvantaged true that the increases of up to 30%. countries. consequences of the The economic crisis has broad global economic crisis can Faced with rising prices, be felt at several levels. unemployment and implications for the long-term Evidence that tax insecurity, people may make health of people all over the revenues are lower than changes to how they live that world.