UNFPA advocates investing in reproductive health to accelerate progress in achieving the sustainable development goals

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 28 May 2020 – Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Management ad interim participated at the International Seminar on "Financing SDG implementation: the role of Integrated National Financing Frameworks" via videoconferencing on 28 May 2020.

The international seminar was organized jointly by the Government of Turkmenistan and the UN to facilitate an inclusive discussion and share experiences on immediate response measures the countries are taking to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic and linking such measures with longer-term goals on SDG financing through integrated national financial frameworks. The seminar brought together the representatives from ministries of finance and economy of the countries who are part of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies in Central Asia (SPECA), as well as UNDESA, UNECE, the World Bank Group, IMF, and Financing for Development experts from the UN agencies and other international organizations.

UNFPA Deputy Executive Director noted that UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund embraces the vision set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to achieve the three transformative results towards ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet needs for family planning and ending the gender-based violence by 2030.

“The acceleration in progress needed to achieve the three transformative results will not happen without filling the resource gaps and stepping up political commitment,” said Dr. Alakbarov. “Investing in reproductive health is not only grounded in fundamental human rights, it also makes sound economic sense. Every additional $1 invested in meeting the unmet need for family planning saves $2.20 in maternal health,” he added.

Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov shared the groundbreaking research undertaken by UNFPA and a number of world-renowned academic partners, the results of which have determined a preliminary cumulative global price tag to achieve the UNFPA’s transformative results by 2030. “It revealed that achieving the results by 2030 will cost a total of $264 billion. While this might seems a lot, think that the cost of ending preventable maternal deaths by 2030 corresponds to the cost of 46 of the most expensive military planes,” he added.

The research also makes the case that domestic resources are the most sustainable source of investment in achieving the transformative results. It is indispensable that the transformative results need to be incorporated in public budgets and development cooperation efforts, with the national governments playing their part.

“Our vision is that every country can build its own country investment case and as UNFPA we are ready to support governments in identifying the value of resources to be invested and the range of interventions required,” said UNFPA deputy head.

In Turkmenistan, UNFPA is already planning to develop a country national investment case in achieving the transformative result on family planning. This is important as Turkmenistan since 2017 covers the needs for modern contraceptives and other reproductive health commodities from its state budget, showing a clear commitment towards reproductive health which is at the core of achieving universal health coverage. This means that everyone, everywhere should access essential high-quality health services without facing financial hardship, and this is becoming even more urgent now in the context of COVID-19 global pandemic.

The international seminar resulted in outcome document that outlined key discussions and recommendations and served as a platform for countries in the region, as well as the international financial institutions and United Nations agencies to share the wealth of experience, which opens new opportunities for cross-country cooperation and collaboration in accelerating the progress to fulfill the global development agenda and three transformative results by 2030.