The Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF in collaboration with Ministry of Health,Ethiopia & the South Ethiopia Regional State Health Bureau, convened the South Ethiopia Regional Family Planning Advocacy Conference on July 18, 2026, in Jinka Town, bringing together senior government officials, health leaders, development partners, religious and community leaders, and academia to strengthen leadership commitment toward expanding family planning services across the region.
Held under the theme “Stronger Leadership Commitment for Enhanced Family Planning Service Utilization,” the conference reaffirmed the critical role of family planning as a cornerstone for improving maternal and child health, empowering families, and advancing sustainable development.
In her keynote address, H.E. Roman Tesfaye, former First Lady of Ethiopia and CEO of the HRF, emphasized that strengthening access to family planning is essential for protecting the health of women and children while promoting the socio-economic empowerment of families and communities.
The conference reviewed progress in family planning service utilization, discussed persistent challenges related to unmet need, and called for stronger collaboration to ensure equitable access to quality reproductive health services.
HRF also shared encouraging results from its maternal and child health interventions, highlighting significant improvements in family planning coverage and skilled birth attendance in Hamer and Bena Tsemay woredas of South Omo Zone as evidence that sustained leadership, community engagement, and multi-sectoral collaboration can deliver meaningful health outcomes, even in remote pastoralist communities.
The conference concluded with renewed commitment from federal, regional and local leaders to strengthen implementation, enhance accountability, and institutionalize family planning as a key development priority through coordinated action, regular monitoring, and sustained investment.
