Today was historical as Rwanda launched the 5th edition of the largest International Conference on Family Planning themed “Investing in Family planning for a Lifetime of returns” convening from 12-15 November 2018. The ICFP 2018 attracted over 3700 global policymakers, researchers, young people, family planning advocates and faith leaders to discuss ways to bring family planning to all. Keynote speakers include; Rwanda’s FirstLady Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, H.E Martine Moise, First Lady of Haiti, Her Royal Highness Sarah zeid, Princess of Jordan among others.

At the opening ceremony, Rwanda Prime Minister Edourd Ngirente called on participants to share knowledge about improving Family planning and contraception while they also learn from Rwanda’s success stories in improving health and FP uptake.

“Quality Family planning services are strong means of improving lives of women, children and families; therefore, family planning is not a women issue, it affects all of us,” said the Prime Minister.

The Minister of Heath, Dr. Diane Gashumba on the other hand said the conference is an opportunity to partner with the globe to better family planning across Rwanda health sector in areas like maternal and child health.

Inaugural speakers embarked on the paramount importance of family planning and modern contraception as a solution to reducing poverty, maternal mortality and make the world a better place to live with people being able to decide on families to raise.

“We still have a long way to bring modern contraceptives to everyone who needs it. Let us step forward and learn from each other during this week,” said Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Marie –Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development, Canada said , “Our politics puts women and girls’ rights front and centre. Let’s be champions of women and girl’s rights and make sure all pregnancies are wanted and all births are safe.”

“We cannot achieve SDGs without family planning and access to contraceptives as a key component,” said Jose Oying Rimon II, Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The ICFP had side events for the youth, meanwhile at the inaugural press conference, delegates explained that Rwanda’s political commitment to health made the country legible to host the

ICFP conference. Rwanda’s health achievements inline with Family planning include; decentralizing family planning services and empowering over 58,286 Community Health Workers to provide FP interventions in their respective communities, availing long and short term contraception services in the community among others. Meanwhile child mortality declined by 50 %.