The National Assembly of Seychelles has signed an agreement to implement the next phase of the sexual reproductive health and rights governance project with the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF). 

The Speaker of the Assembly, Roger Mancienne, and the secretary general of the SADC PF, Boemo Sekgoma, and Tania Isaacs, clerk of the National Assembly, signed the agreement on Friday. During the event, the SADC PF Strategic Plan 2024-2028 was also unveiled.

In his address, Mancienne, who is also the President of SADC PF said, "Today we move on to another level, the new agreement encompasses a lot more than health and related issues. The scope of the agreement has been broadened to include many areas that are of concern to our National Assembly and that encompass issues that we have been working on in that we want to continue working on."

He said that one critical aspect of the agreement is that it involves not just one or two committees but all the committees in the National Assembly.  

"I will not forget that health is the basis of this discussion and coincidentally tomorrow is World Health Day. I believe it augurs very well and is a very good message for the launching and the renewal of the agreement," added Mancienne.

Sekgoma said that at the SADC parliament level, the parliament of Seychelles is a crucial partner to all initiatives conducted and implemented by the secretariat.  

Speaker Mancienne who is also the President of SADC PF unveiled the Strategic Plan 2024-2028. (National Assembly)  Photo License: All Rights Reserved

"As we launch the sexual reproductive health and rights today, I wish to acknowledge the steadfast progress made by Seychelles over the years, especially with regards to the protection of key populations eradicating child marriages, and protecting children already in marriages, domestic violence interventions among others," she added.

Sekgom said, "These achievements resonate with the foreign policy on sexual reproductive health and rights and correspond to the domestication of foreign resolutions and modern laws. While there is room for improvement there is no doubt that the parliament of Seychelles will continue to influence sexual and reproductive health and rights and governance landscape through new laws and policies, budget and oversight initiatives under the revamped project which has been implemented from 2023."

The clerk of the National Assembly, Tania Isaac, said that the signing of the agreement is momentous and that there is a renewed commitment within the National Assembly.

She said the project's vision is universal access to integrated sexual reproductive health and rights "including bringing forward social change, gender responsive climate action, improve health and respect for human rights that are enjoyed by all SADC regions within a framework that is conducive to democratic accountability."

Isaacs added that Seychelles is one of 13 countries in the SADC region that has willingly accepted to participate in this project for the third time.

After the signing and launch of the Strategic Plan, other local partners made solidarity pledges.

While in Seychelles, the secretary general of the SADC PF will also call on President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.