“Notions that had been held at the alter of religion have been dispelled.” This startling comment was one of many during a UNFPA meeting last week.
The special session on partnership with African faith-based organizations during the latest Executive Board meeting of UNFPA, supposedly to address maternal and child health, and realizing the “demographic dividend,” was more about getting faith-based organizations to advocate for “sexual and reproductive health” of the type represented by contraception and abortion, designed to end and prevent maternity, not make it safer.
At least 500 faith-based groups (FBO) are presently advocating for UNFPA, according to UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin. He said faith leaders are key players in promoting sexual and reproductive health because of their influence in guiding members of African communities.
One noticeable absentee at the meeting was the Holy See who has a track record of thwarting UNFPA’s push for contraception and abortion under the guise of “sexual and reproductive health.”
Osotimehin and his staff were equally conspicuous about the lack of support from the Catholic Church at an institutional level, as from other religions singularly. The nature of UNFPA’s 500 faith-based organizations was never revealed and remained vague throughout.
Nevertheless, the Osotimehin proudly declared victory over religious objections to UNFPA’s line of sexual and reproductive health services, which consists above in abortion and contraception.
“They (the 500 FBOs) have broken with the conception that religious leaders do not support reproductive services…They are helping to steer young people in the right direction” Osotimehin remarked triumphantly.
Faith leaders who do not advocate for reproductive health were not on trial or condemned for corrupting the youth like Socrates; nevertheless, his words had that gravity.
Still, UNFPA acknowledged they have not crossed every divide when it comes to faith-based organizations and sexual and reproductive health.
Successful partnerships between UNFPA and faith-based organizations must begin by engaging carefully and “with a great deal of sensitivity,” said the Regional Director of Western Africa for UNFPA.
Culturally Western Africa is very different from western secular societies. Communities are still remarkably loyal to faith or traditional leaders, and even to seek guidance from them on questions involving sexuality and reproduction.
Osotimehin said change in Western Africa can only be achieved after UNFPA partners with religious leaders, who will talk to young people, and through the young people reach professionals in the marketplace and everyone else in society. If you have a conversation in the whole of society then you change a country, he explained.
The conversation would revolve around the so-called “demographic dividend.” The best way to reach this dividend according to UNFPA involves the most effective investment in the life of a woman, namely reproductive services and information.
But because of cultural barriers against reproductive health UNFPA has to turn faith-based organizations, their greatest barriers, into their greatest allies before this conversation can occur.
They found an ally in Reverend Opuni-Frimpong, the Head of the Christian Council of Ghana.
Reverend Opuni-Frimpong, hastily dismissed the incompatibility between reproductive health and faith-based organizations. Subsequently, he eagerly expressed UNFPA should lead the way, “There is a need for UNFPA to mobilize resources and provide leadership.” He added,“We are literally saying faith-based leaders-we are ready!”
Mr. Thierno Hass Diallo, Minister of Religious Affairs and Culture of Mali described how he put on different hats when he went to different places of worship. He was not speaking figuratively.
Diallo had his eyes on mosques and churches as a toddler has their eyes on a cookie jar. His recommendation was to visit mosques on Friday and churches on Sunday, because that is the perfect time to reach people of those faiths. In religious establishments there are untapped resources yet to be educated on the benefits sexual and reproductive health.
Throughout the whole meeting one could not ignore that UNFPA’s method requires manipulating people’s faith for UNFPA’s own material ends.
“Together with agencies like UNFPA they will help us package things better,” said Reverend Opuni-Frimpong.
UNFPA sees places of worship like a market place that can be exploited for their benefit. Worshippers are the customers. Contraception is the product for sale. Faith leaders are the merchants.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the UNFPA meeting was the complete absence of any type of dissent. There were plenty of questions that could have been asked, but no one there asked them.
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