Religious leaders have shunned sexual and reproductive health discussions at the pulpit for decades – a situation that is changing. This is as 45 per cent of health services in Sub-Saharan Africa are provided by faith-based organisations.

Anglican Provinces of Africa General Secretary Reverend Canon Grace Kaiso says the turnabout is from the conviction that all families – regardless of their religious beliefs – are entitled to lead healthy lives.

“An absence of basic family planning services deprives millions of people of this fundamental right every year,” said Reverend Kaiso who turned the blame on governments, civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for the exclusion of the church from pro-family planning campaigns.

Reverend Kaiso noted that faith leaders wield greater influence and should be used to guide, inspire and lead others. “As respected, trusted and well-known members of their communities, faith leaders are influential in guiding cultural and social norms and practices,” he said

He was speaking during a convention in Nairobi that brought together interfaith leaders and faith-based organisations from across Africa. The meet under the ‘RightByHer’ campaign was organised by Faith to Action Network and sought to strengthen the involvement of faith organisations and their leadership in the welfare of all their followers across Africa.

It recognises the viable capacities faith organisations bring to the development processes and taps into their expertise and influence. Hindu, Islam, Bahai faiths and the various Christian denominations such as Catholic, Anglican and Evangelicals were represented. Read more via Standard Digital