Inter Press Service: Africa Must Increase Spending on Health Care, Education & Modern Contraception
Marie Rose Nguini Effa, member of parliament (MP), president of the African Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (FPA), member of National Assembly of Cameroon, and member of the Pan-African Parliament

“…Economic progress within the African continent as a whole has the potential to evoke a truly profound positive impact upon our collective achievement of the [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)]. … Once the basic human rights of health and education are met, social progress accelerates dramatically, and this is what we hope to see as African economies continue to develop. … The voice we have [as members of parliament] gives us an unmatched responsibility to spread awareness on these vital issues within our political parties, our parliamentary groups, … as well as our constituencies and regions. … Parliamentarians must lead the conversations on maternal and infant mortality rates, abortion rates and whether to legalize it, [and] early marriages, with good health and well-being of citizens at the core of our intentions. I want us all to unite, sign resolutions and laws, and share best practices and ideas amongst our countries, because we are the voice of the voiceless” (10/18).