IPPF-Africa Regional Office will be participating in the 21st Edition of the Panafrican Film and TV Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), to take place in the Capital City of Burkina Faso from 28 to March 7, 2009. The Panafrican Film and TV Festival of Ouagadougou brings together thousands of filmmakers all over the world every two years to celebrate African cinema.

In Ouagadougou, IPPF will take advantage of the Panafrican Film and TV Festival, together with other agencies involved in the promotion of sexual and reproductive health to engage in dialogue with African filmmakers and Journalists community and the public, in order to seek ways to better promoting SRH in the continent by organizing a Panel Discussion on the theme: ‘Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services in 2015: Myth or Reality in Africa?’

This theme will facilitate in depth discussions on the challenge faced by African countries in implementing strategies to attain MDG 5 on maternal health. It has become evident that MDG5 is Millennium Development Goal which is lagging most behind and thus requires significant attention by all stakeholders, if this goal is to be achieved by 2015.

With the endorsement of the Maputo Plan of Action by African Heads of State in January 2007 it was proven that strong political will exists however, this political will still needs to be transformed in increased investments in sexual and reproductive health which in turn will increase access to sexual and reproductive health services needed by the African people.

IPPF, together with other agencies involved in the promotion of sexual and reproductive health, will use this opportunity to remind all actors and society of their collective responsibility in light of this irrefutable fact.

Along with the Panel Discussion, an ‘IPPF Special Prize’ will be bestowed to the film better highlighting IPPF core issues.
 
The panel discussion will be preceded by the official opening presided over by the First Lady of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mrs. Chantal Compaoré,  who will launch an appeal to filmmakers/media to give more attention to reproductive health. She will also equally appeal to donors and development partners to provide support to African filmmakers interested in producing films/documentaries on the thorny issue of reproductive health on the African Continent