Lead links communities to family planning and climate change

The Leadership for Environment and Development (Lead) says there is need for an integrated approach to issues of population, family planning and the environment in the wake of climate change.

Lead programme officer Deepa Pullanikkatil said this on Thursday when communities from Traditional Authority (T/A) Mposa in Machinga visited their counterparts in T/A Makwangwala, Ntcheu to discuss and learn how they practice family planning issues in their respective areas.

As part of the programme, the communities toured Family Planning Association of Malawi (Fpam) clinic in Ntcheu where reproductive health and family planning services are offered. Speaking after the tour, Pullanikkatil said her organisation is advocating for population, health and environment approach by the communities.

“These communities asked us to widen the approach in our Lake Chilwa Basin and integrate the issues of population, environment and access to family planning services. As you know that women are overburdened by household chores and looking after their children, among others, which is an impediment to their adaptive capacity to climate change programmes,” she said.

She added that there is need for more involvement of the youth in issues of family planning and climate change. She said the youth are the most active generation who need to understand variations on change in climate, family planning and adaptive methods.

One of the youth, Adam Maonga, said the visit offered an insight into how communities should respond to calls on activities that put pressure on natural resources.

“We have learnt how our friends here have succeeded in stopping early marriages in their area which is good because it prevents early pregnancies and allows girls to get educated. We are also mindful that population growth normally increases pressure on land,” Maonga said.