The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Its Promises for the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Girls and Women in Africa

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals take into account the economic, social and environmental challenges of our world. In relation to the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of girls and women, the Sustainable Development Goals provide a platform for the enhancement of the SRHR of adolescents and women, especially in Africa. The promises of SDGs are to eliminate gender disparities in the education sector and to ensure equal access at all levels particularly for the vulnerable girls and women in Africa. The SDGs promise to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages through universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. Predictably, few years down the line, most African countries have not demonstrated sufficient commitment and political will towards the realisation of these noble goals. The reproductive and sexual health of concerned girls and women in Africa that have been deliberately relegated for several decades can no doubt be redeemed by the SDGs. We advocate to Governments, non-governmental organisations and stakeholders in Africa to work towards the realisation of the SDGs and for more sensitization to enable African women live a happy and fulfilled life devoid of discrimination, sexual abuses or exploitations, injustice as well as unequal access to economic, political and reproductive health services.