Islamic Leaders Advance Reproductive Health

Jan. 27, 2006—Islamic leaders from six African countries committed to improve the health of women and families in their communities by supporting family planning and reproductive health policies at a January 24–26 forum held in Mali.

The forum, convened by CEDPA and its partners in the POLICY II project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, brought together the religious leaders to discuss strategies to address and support family planning within African Islamic communities and organizations.

Sub-saharan Africa has some of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS, and maternal and child mortality in the world. Against this backdrop, Islamic and other religious leaders are critical partners in promoting women's health access and care in communities.

The forum allowed leaders to share lessons learned from their work on reproductive health, including how to develop adolescent reproductive health guidelines. Participants also analyzed and discussed references to family planning and reproductive health within the Qu'ran and the Hadiths, Mohammed's sayings and teachings.

Forum facilitators included Sengalese leader Sheikh Diery Cisse, who was instrumental in developing a declaration in support of women's health and rights that was adopted by 185 Islamic leaders from 17 countries. The 2005 "Abuja Declaration of the Network of African Islamic Faith-based Organizations" strongly urged "all leaders and people of faith to make more positive and substantial contributions to reproductive health, the rights of women in order to promote the well-being of all families and communities."

POLICY II has worked in Mali and Uganda with Muslim groups, including the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. In Mali, POLICY II has conducted studies on how Islamic leaders understand family planning and how to ease discussion of family planning into Muslim communities.

The POLICY II project is led by The Futures Group International with CEDPA and the Research Triangle Institute. The five-year project supports the development of policies and plans that promote and sustain access to high-quality family planning and reproductive health services with an increased focus on HIV/AIDS and maternal health.

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