Babatunde Osotimehin UN Under Secretary-General & UNFPA Executive Director
Family planning is not A health issue, it's a rights issue

With a 1.49 percent annual growth rate, Indonesia's current population of more than 250 million is expected to surpass that of the United States by 2043, possibly becoming the third most populous country after China and India. Despite a national family planning program in place since 1967, Indonesia continues to struggle with various sociocultural constraints that prevent it from becoming more effective and efficient. Such issues emerged during the recent International Conference on Family Planning in Nusa Dua, Bali.

On the sidelines of the biennial conference, Tempo English contributing editor Cory Rogers spoke to Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the current executive director of the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA). Dr. Osotimehin, a Nigerian national who is serving his second term as head of UNFPA, shared his views on how empowering women through sexual and reproductive health rights is a key to unlocking Indonesia's development potential. Excerpts of the interview:

February 2, 2016