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Transcript/ScriptNIGERIA POPULATION PLANNING TV
HEADLINE: Funding Gaps Hinder Family Planning in Nigeria
TEASER: Population to double by 2050, making the country the world's third biggest
PUBLISHED: 11/30/2022 at 9:35am
BYLINE: Timothy Obiezu
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Abuja, Nigeria
VIDEOGRAPHER: Emeka Gibson
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, UNFPA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:37
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
The U.N. said this month that the world's population reached 8 billion people, and more than half of the population growth up to 2050 would come from eight countries, five of them in Africa. In that time span, Nigeria is expected to double its population to 400 million people to become the world's third most populous nation. Experts warn that without proper planning, such growth would be unsustainable, as Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja, Nigeria.
((NARRATOR))
Two years ago, Aisha Ali and her husband decided she would take a birth control injection after having nine children.
((Aisha Ali, Mother of Nine))((In Hausa, Secs))
"I'm a petty trader and my husband is a motorcycle rider. We want the best for our children but don't make enough money. Sometimes good Samaritans help us pay the children's school fees and buy us food."
((NARRATOR))
The contraceptive suppresses ovulation for only a few years.
Like Ali, many Nigerian women, especially those in rural areas, surpass the national birth rate of about five children per woman.
The United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] says funding gaps, cultural bias and so-called 'male dominance' are major setbacks for family planning here.
Evelyn Isienyi had eight children before her husband passed away in 2018.
((Evelyn Isienyi, Mother of Eight))((English, Secs))
"Even if my husband is alive, I don't want to get more children again because of the hardship. Things are very difficult. Mostly now."
((NARRATOR))
This is why the U.N. — which marked the world population milestone of 8 billion in November — has voiced concern that population growth, especially in Africa, is not sustainable.
Eight countries worldwide are expected to account for more than half of the global population growth over the next three decades. Five of them are in Africa.
((Erika Goldson, UN Population Fund Representative))((English, Secs))
"There are major advancements happening, but one of the things that concerns us as the U.N. is that this progress is not received equally across board. There are some citizens within countries who are denied access to basic health care, they're denied access to basic education — their whole overall quality of life is affected negatively "
((NARRATOR))
Nigeria has the seventh-largest population in the world, and 95 million of its people live below $2.15 a day, according to World Bank data for 2022.
In February, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari launched a national population policy to control high fertility rates and improve access to modern family planning tools.
U.N. and Nigerian officials are working to educate people about family planning in rural areas. And the U.N. is calling on Nigeria to budget more money for family planning.
((Erika Goldson, UN Population Fund Representative))((English, Secs))
"Since this year, we've had a gap of 25 million (dollars), and that had to do with a lot of the economic downturn because of the COVID-19. We also have the issue around the Ukraine war, and so far that has affected donor contribution. [[Cutaways]] A lot of the issues around family planning, particularly commodity procurement, is very donor driven, which is very risky for Nigeria."
((NARRATOR))
Health officials say Nigeria needs $35 million a year to address family planning needs but has earmarked only $50,000 for it in the national budget for next year.
Civil society groups are calling for more allocations before the budget is approved by the national assembly in December.
(Timothy Obiezu, for VOA News, Abuja, Nigeria)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Abuja, Nigeria
Embargo DateNovember 30, 2022 19:16 EST
Byline
Timothy Obiezu, for VOA News, Abuja, Nigeria
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
