CONAKRY, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah presided over the opening ceremony of the 12th African Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Conakry on Wednesday.
The conference, which will run through Saturday, brings together policymakers, researchers, health professionals, representatives of civil society, technical and financial partners, as well as young people from several African countries to discuss issues related to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and young people.
Held under the theme "Sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and young people in Africa in the face of multifaceted crises," the conference aims to promote the exchange of experiences and develop concrete responses to the challenges facing young people amid multiple humanitarian crises, the effects of climate change and declining funding for sexual and reproductive health services.
At the opening ceremony, Bah said that "Africa draws its greatest strength from its youth" and this strength "will only fully bear fruit if young people are educated, protected and healthy."
He noted that early pregnancy, unaddressed violence or delayed access to healthcare could lead to interruptions in schooling and undermine young people's prospects for the future.
"Sexual and reproductive health involves several dimensions of public policy: it concerns maternal health, education and the protection of women, equal opportunities and the quality of human capital," Bah said.
According to him, crises "amplify risks, disrupt services, keep young people away from health facilities and reduce intervention capacities," making prevention more difficult at a time when it is most needed.
He therefore called for concrete actions and policies capable of delivering tangible results in terms of the health and protection of young people.
Guinean Minister of Health and Public Hygiene Khaite Sall stressed that the rights recognized to young people should be translated into concrete actions and effective access to health services.
"Health is no longer considered a supporting expenditure, but a strategic investment in human capital and in the future of the country," she said.
According to Sall, the vision of the Guinean authorities is to advance the country toward universal health coverage while strengthening adolescents' and young people's access to local, confidential and respectful health services.
The minister also called for turning commitments into action so that sexual and reproductive rights would not remain merely principles enshrined in laws and policies, but could be effectively exercised by the people concerned.
According to the organizers, the 12th edition of the conference will focus in particular on sustainable financing for sexual and reproductive health services, adapting services to crises, combating gender-based violence, and strengthening young people's participation in decision-making. ■