MIDGARDT, Namibia - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Namibia Country Office and the National Planning Commission (NPC) have successfully concluded the joint Annual Review for the fifth year of the UNFPA/Government Sixth Country Programme (2019-2023). The meeting, which took place from 31 January to 2 February at Midgardt, was attended by over 51 participants from government ministries, implementing partners, civil society organizations, the UN Resident Coordinator Office, including NPC Deputy Chief National Development Advisor, Mr. Ned Sibeya and his team.

The review evaluated the progress made during the fifth-year roll-out of the Country Programme, which prioritizes two outcomes of the UNFPA global Strategic Plan 2018-2021: Adolescents and Youth, and Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. The Country Programme is in line with the 5th National Development Plan, the Harambee Prosperity Plans, the 2063 African Union Agenda, and the UNPAF (UNSDCF) (2019 – 2023). It also contributes to the SDGs and has been extended to 2024 for further alignment. The program aims to support national efforts to harness the demographic dividend by investing in sexual and reproductive health, eliminating gender-based violence, and addressing harmful practices that impede the potential of youth and adolescents.

In her welcoming remarks, Erika Goldson, UNFPA Country Representative, expressed gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Namibia for its sustained partnership through various line ministries under the GRN/UNFPA 6th Country Programme. She highlighted the significance of the meeting as a strategic platform for collaboration with implementing partners and reflected on the theme of the "Year of Revival" set by the Head of State for 2023. Ms. Goldson emphasized the transformative and reaffirming year for UNFPA, the government, and civil society organizations, with significant strides in reducing maternal mortality, improving access to family planning, and increasing girls' enrollment in schools. However, she acknowledged the persistent challenges, such as a high adolescent birth rate, high HIV incidence among young women, and a concerning prevalence of gender-based violence.

“In line with the President’s call, the year 2023 was a transformative and reaffirming year for us and for the women and young people we serve. Together, UNFPA, Government and civil society organisations looked back on 30 years of implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, as well as 10 years of implementation of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development (AADPD) in Namibia. And our review revealed that we are on the course in pursuit of the fulfilment of the ICPD promise,” she stated.

Furthermore, Goldson applauded the Namibian Government and the Namibian Statistics Agency for the successful 2023 Population and Housing Census, emphasizing its importance in addressing the limited data on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Namibia. As the meeting delved into discussions about the upcoming 7th Country Programme for 2025, Ms. Goldson called for a focus on identifying emerging challenges and opportunities, setting realistic and impactful goals, fostering collaboration with partners, and ensuring alignment with national and international development priorities. She concluded by reaffirming UNFPA's commitment to supporting national and sub-national priorities, aiming to achieve transformative results, including ending the unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal deaths, gender-based violence, and harmful practices such as child marriage.

Sibeya emphasized the consultative and inclusive process that led to the development of the Country Programme, calling for a collective commitment to sustainability in its execution.