Source: Saturday Post Online
THE government should ensure that all sexually active people have access to affordable and easy health services on family planning, says WILSA.

Speaking during the launch of the Happy Life campaign at Matero Community Hall in Lusaka on Friday, Women and Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) national coordinator Maimbo Ziela said women in Zambia, particularly those with HIV and AIDS and the disabled, lack access to family planning and information on reproductive health.

Ziela said the campaign was meant to accelerate the right to sexual and reproductive health service for women and girls in the country.

She said females aged 15 and 29 have little or no access to family planning information and services, some because of religious beliefs.

"The 2007 Zambia Demographic Health Survey indicates that 27 per cent of Zambian women need family planning. Therefore, the project is being implemented in line with the Millennium Development Goal number 3 on gender equality and MDG number 5 on improving maternal health," she said.

Ziela urged the government to ensure that all sexually active people have access to affordable and easy health services on family planning.

And Amanitare projects manager Silva Shekede said family planning was key to reproduction, adding that the purpose of her organisation was to advocate for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all African women.

Apart from Zambia, the happy life campaign is being implemented in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, and South Africa.

Other partners involved include Network of ARV users, Zambia Media Women Association, Tasintha Projects, Aminitare Sexual Rights Network, Young women Christian Association and many more.

• Zambia