UNFPA leadership hailed Côte d’Ivoire as a “beacon of hope” in West Africa during a high-level visit, crediting recent socio-economic gains while urging accelerated action on sexual and reproductive health and rights. “Ivory Coast is the first country I am visiting, because you are a beacon of hope for this region,” said Keita. “The results achieved here, at the socio-economic level, are very significant.”
Officials noted that critical gaps remain—especially high maternal mortality, limited contraceptive access, and elevated adolescent pregnancy rates—that risk slowing broader development. “It’s about ensuring that young girls and boys can access reproductive health services—because when they do, there will be fewer early and unintended pregnancies,” Keita emphasized. “Girls will be able to stay in school longer and have greater work opportunities.”
Partnerships between UNFPA and the Ivorian government have produced measurable improvements. Maternal mortality fell from 614 deaths per 100,000 live births (2012) to 385 (2021). Over the same period, use of modern contraceptives rose from 12.5% to 18%, signaling progress in awareness, supply chains, and service delivery. Still, stakeholders warned that rural and low-income communities continue to face barriers, including distance to clinics, stock-outs, social stigma, and cost.
Priority next steps outlined during the visit include:
- Expanding youth-friendly services and comprehensive sexuality education;
- Strengthening community health and midwifery networks to reach remote areas;
- Ensuring reliable contraceptive supply and method choice;
- Integrating GBV prevention and survivor services into frontline care.
Framed against Côte d’Ivoire’s broader development agenda, UNFPA’s message was clear: consolidating recent gains—and closing remaining equity gaps—can yield outsized dividends in education, women’s economic participation, and national productivity. “Investing in reproductive health is investing in the country’s future,” Keita said.
