Commissioner Pledges Support for Child Spacing Media Forum ……says Family Planning is Everybody’s Business
By ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, has pledged her ministry’s support for an advocacy group, Child Spacing Media Forum, as part of efforts to reduce maternal deaths in the State and Country at large.
Baba, declared her support when she received members of the group who were there on an advocacy visit to her office on Friday.
“I will be very glad to support in anyway I can. There is no week we don’t see and pick strange children in this ministry. This week alone, we have four children in our care without knowing their parents. These is one of the danger of unprepared pregnancies.
“There was a case of a 13-year-old girl who became pregnant and parents are not ready to have her under their custody due to societal shame.
“Instead of a child to bring up another child, it is better for parents to discuss with their children to go for pregnancy spacing service if they know they cannot hold themselves.
“I’m happy people are now accepting it. Every face of development is around this course of pregnancy spacing. Women and children are very important in this ministry.” She said.
Hajiya Baba noted “though we are running away from this advocacy using religion but, does any religion support bringing children to live without catering for them?
“The present government in the state is interested, hence the interest in renovating primary healthcare to manage the ever growing population especially our pregnant women and children.
“It is also important we get our men involved because even if the woman want to go for the service, she need the support of her husband.
“That is why we have children roaming the street without parental bond or love. This is not how it should be. I’m ready to go with you anywhere you want to go to ensure we increase the awareness and get the release of the money needed to purchase the consumables.”
She commended, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), for their effort, adding, “i worked with NURHI when they started. I was part of the advocacy team as a secretary and we drafted a lot of demand and advocacy to traditional leaders, religion leaders. We started as Advocate group which has now metamorphosed into FHANI.
