UNFPA in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Family organized a high-level national conference on family planning and empowerment of women on December 30, 2018, in Djibouti at the Sheraton Hotel.

The purpose of the conference was to provide high-level advocacy for the integration of population issues and especially family planning into national development plans and strategies for growth and poverty reduction.

This conference saw the participation of 50 leaders and experts from the various sectoral departments.

The recommendations from this conference are:

• Allocate a specific budget line for family planning to increase the amount and reliability of funding for the promotion of gender equality.

• Build the capacity of health personnel to deliver a range of family planning and reproductive health services.

• Put in place a family planning policy that would accelerate the implementation of the national family planning strategy to ensure women, men and youth have access to comprehensive products and services family planning.

• Disseminate culturally relevant messages on demographic issues and family planning on an ongoing basis to promote major changes in reproductive attitudes and behaviors.

The Ministry of Women and Family is committed to make every effort to achieve these results.