Increasing Contraceptive Prevalence – A case for Kenya

Francis KunduAssistant Director of Population

National Council for Population and Development

OutlineBackground

Key Investment Areas

Family Planning Services

Child Health

Education

Women empowerment

Challenges

Engagement with Policy Makers

BackgroundPopulation – 43 million

Population growth rate – 3%

Annual population increase – 1 million

42 ethnic communities with diverse cultures

Many economic opportunities exist

Kenya’s Population Pyramid

38.6 Million (2009)

-20% -10% 0% 10% 20%

43% of the population is under age 15

80+75–7970–7465–6960–6455–5950–5445–4940–4435–3930–3425–2920–2415–1910–14

5–90–4

Age (

Years

)

Percent of the Population

FemaleMale

Source: Spectrum

Family Planning Services

1978 1989 1993 1998 2003 2009 2030 2050

8.1

6.7

5.44.7 4.9 4.6

2.62.1

Trends in Kenya’s Total Fertility Rate (1978 – 2009)

Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics

?

1984 1989 1993 1998 2003 2008 2015 2050

17

2733

39 3946

56

70

Trends in Kenya’s Con-traceptive Prevalence

Rate (Percent)

Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics

?

85

56

89

268

Availability of Family Planning Services

Source: National Council for Population and Development (2010)

Availability of Family Planning Services (Percent)

Family planningIncrease the proportion of facilities offering

FP especially in rural areasReduce stock-outs of contraceptivesEnhance male involvement in FP Public education – provision of accurate

information on FP and RHTrain more health workers in FP

Child Health

Childhood Mortality Levels

Neonatal deaths contribute42% to U5 Mortality

Child HealthIncrease proportion of births attended to by

skilled health workersImprove on newborn care practices

Training of health workersImprove the effectiveness of the Integrated

Management of Childhood Illnesses strategyIncrease immunization coverage

Education

No

Educa

tion

Prim

ary

Inco

mpl

ete

Prim

ary

Compl

ete

Seco

ndar

y+

12%

35%42%

52%

Married Women (Age 15-49) Cur-rently Using a Modern Family Planning Method by Education

Sources: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and ICF Macro; 2008/9 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey

EducationFree primary educationFree tuition in public secondary schoolsIncrease enrollment and retentionIncrease transition rates (primary to

secondary and secondary to tertiary)Back to school policy for adolescent/teenage

mothers

Women EmpowermentSecure education of the girl childOne-third of elective and appointive positions

reserved for either genderCredit facilities for business targeting women

e.g. Women Enterprise Fund

Challenges to Demographic DividendPolitical messages urging population increase (Tyranny of numbers)

FP programme mainly funded by partners

Traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs

On-going WorkDevelopment of advocacy tools

Engagement on Demographic Dividend with leaders at national and county levelsPlanning & budgeting for FP & Child healthOversight of programme implementationImproving education standards (reduce

dropout and increase completion rates)Ensure availability, accessibility, and

affordability of FP and health servicesCreation of investment and employment

opportunities

Opportunities for Demographic DividendConstitutional and legal provisions

Devolved system of governmentRights to information, health and education

servicesAffirmative action & women empowerment

Good will from partners