Plan your life, Plan your Family, Plan your Future!
14 November, Mkwajuni village, Zanzibar - 2012 SWOP launch

Every child comes with a blessing

"I believe in having many children, every child is a gift from God," says Tatu a 35 years old woman with 9 children. "Every child comes with a blessing, so I won't stop giving birth until God stops blessing my womb," she adds.

"I gave birth to my first born when I was 17 years old, since then I have never used any method of contraceptive and now I have 9 children, this one (showing a child she was caring) is 10 months and that one over there is 2 and a half years. I feel privileged and I am happy that God has blessed me with so many children," Tatu emphasizes. 

Tatu like many other women in Mkwajuni have more than 5 children and do not use any means of contraceptive. Just like Tatu majority started child bearing before they were even 20 years old. The low usage of contraceptive in Mkwajuni village can be attributed to low level of family planning outreach services, which most of the time depend on donor funding. Most of these women do not have enough information on family planning option, let alone how that could improve the general wellbeing of their children and themselves 

The major challenges facing provision of family planning services are erratic supply of family planning commodities and limited range of choices, inadequate funding for contraceptives, and negative attitude of providers towards FP. The situation is aggravated by limited spouse communication, inadequate male involvement and social cultural values including religious barriers. 

CPR and Unmet need

In Tanzania, the SWOP was launched in North A in Zanzibar, a district that has one of the lowest contraceptive rate (CPR) of 7.4%.  Zanzibar has set a CPR target of 20% by 2015, the current CPR is 12.5% and the unmet need is 35% amongst married women. In Tanzania mainland the current CPR is 27% with a target of reaching 60% by 2015. 
To meet the 35% unmet need of contraceptives, Ministry of Health estimates that, Tanzania's CPR would have to grow at an average annual rate of 6.26% as compared to 1.26% between 2004/5 and 2010. Meeting the needs will mean - 20.8 unintended pregnancies would be averted, 3.3 million induced abortions would be averted, 67,000 maternal deaths would be averted and 500,000 child deaths would be averted. 

"Addressing the unmet need should be a first priority to improving maternal health," commented Vibeke Jensen RC a.i "While benefits of family planning are manifold, I would like to highlight two in particular, the contribution FP makes to reducing maternal mortality and the contribution FP makes to retention in school for young girls. Access to family planning services is known to reduce maternal deaths by as much as 20% and have significant improvement on maternal morbidity also," she added. 

Although knowledge of contraception is almost universal in Tanzania, the proportion of currently married women who are using contraceptives is not increasing as expected. The use of modern methods of family planning has only increased from 20% in 2004 to 27% in 2010; nationwide 25% of currently married women have an unmet need for family planning. "These figures show that the families are asking for this service and we are missing opportunities to provide them that service." Says Mariam Khan, UNFPA Representative a.i

Government's commitments

Speaking during the launch, the vice president of Zanzibar, Seif Sharif Hamad, noted efforts by the revolutionary government of Zanzibar in making sure that maternal mortality rate is decreasing in the isle, including, training service providers especially on family planning, providing free health services for all expectant mothers and improving the health facilities. The Vice President highlighted that it is important for parents to keep their young girls in school and not marry them off at a tender age, "Let us make sure our young girls finish their education before we marry them off, and let us protect them from teenage pregnancies and early marriage. To husbands, I ask you not to forbid your wives to use contraceptive, support them in this so that you plan your family and this will make your wife to be healthy." 

Holding the launch in the district was a strong sign that leadership will be taking on the family planning agenda and make it once more a household topic. Back in the 70's was the last time that there was a national momentum for FP and it led to a significant increase in the CPR. The momentum is being built by partners and national leadership alike to additional efforts. Over the past 2 years the government of Tanzania in collaboration with partners has made significant progress in strengthening the contraceptive commodity security. 

A national costed family planning plan is in place, increasingly the government is vocalizing commitment to family planning, starting with the President underscoring that family planning is not only a health issue but a core element for development of this country. Efforts are underway to expand access to quality family planning services through public and private facilities, outreach and strengthened community based services; and Minister of Health committed earlier in the year to increase national finances for family planning 

President Jakaya Kikwete attended the July summit in London to show Tanzania's commitment in family planning, what is now needed is concerted local actions to realize these commitments.

"UNFPA commits to support the government in helping the people of the United Republic of Tanzania to plan their family, plan their life and plan their future." Concluded Ms. Khan at the SWOP launch.