Devex: Q&A: UNFPA West Africa director on the security benefits of family planning
“…Places such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, and Senegal have seen an average two percent growth in contraceptive prevalence each year, [United Nations Population Fund West Africa Regional Director Mabingue Ngom] said. … However, 2015 United Nations research on trends in contraceptive use still points to Africa as the region with the lowest contraception use, at just 33 percent of reproductive-aged women. … Ngom warns that [high population] growth rates could be the basis for increased radicalism and youth involvement in extremist groups. Though messaging is crucial to progress, Ngom told Devex that family planning needs to remain a priority to avoid future security issues in the region…” (Roby, 3/27).