Editor's note: Stephen Ndegwa is a communication specialist, writer and analyst on China-Africa affairs. The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Nairobi, Kenya's capital city has just hosted the 9th edition of the African Conference on Sexual Health and Rights (ACSHR), under the theme, "Advancing the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women and Girls in Urban Informal Settlements".

Barely three months ago, Nairobi hosted the 25th summit of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+25). From its initial program of action centered on reproductive health, women's empowerment, and gender equality, the ICPD has adopted a larger scope, incorporating achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Just like the just concluded ACSHR 2020, the ICPD+25 made bold commitments to transform the world by ending all maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning, gender-based violence, and harmful practices against women and girls by 2030.

Both conferences had a similar agenda. ACSHR 2020 was touted as part of a long-term process of building and fostering regional dialogue and alliances that lead to concrete actions towards influencing policy and programming, in favor of a sexually healthy continent.

On the build up to the ICPD+25, which was organised by Denmark and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), pro-life demonstrators took to the streets a couple of times to protest against what they saw as an attempt to corrupt African morals and traditions that dictate sexual behavior.

Led by religious organizations, politicians, and culturists, Africans are wary of the high profile and aggressive SRH conferences held on African soil. These two parties are particularly opposed to any discussions on abortion and what they see as sexual adventurism.

A couple of days before officially opening the ICPD+25, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta was on record saying that his government would not entertain organizations advocating for abortion rights, and rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans-sexual, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ) community.

Opponents of the ICPD also cited the push back against abortion and gay rights by the U.S. President Donald Trump, who has almost abolished American Government State funding for abortion and gay-related activities.

While opponents of the "suspect" SRH regime being introduced in Africa, and Kenya in particular, are fighting to ensure that this window remains closed, international organizations pushing this agenda are not relenting either.

While Africans are of the view there is a need to control spiraling of the continent's burgeoning population in the long term, they feel that there is no cause for alarm that warrants the current approaches.

Rather than promote practices like abortion which are still unpopular in Africa, the continent needs practical solutions to its population challenges.

True, there are grave issues facing women and girls that Africa needs to address. According to the "Report of the Commission on Women's Health in the African Region," unsafe abortions account for about 14 percent of maternal deaths on the continent. It is also estimated that 31 out of 1,000 African women aged between 15 - 45 years undergo unsafe abortion annually.

The report says that the incidence of maternal mortality is even greater, with roughly 51 percent of all maternal deaths globally involving African women aged from 15 to 29 years. Women in the continent have a one in 42 risk of dying prematurely from childbearing, compared with the one in 2,900 risk faced by women in Europe.

Gender inequality and men's sexual violence against women have been cited as some of the major causes of hindering development in Africa. The scenario has contributed to the high number of teenage pregnancies, and the spread of HIV among young African girls. Female genital mutilation also causes serious health problems and complications during childbirth.

In its strategic plan for 2018-2021, UNFPA reiterates its bias towards universal access to SRH and reproductive rights, focusing on women, adolescents, and youth. The Fund ties the achievement of the SDGs to the realization of SRH. But it is the urgency with which the plan strives to achieve almost instant change in the gender sector that worries many observers in Africa.

Of course, some cultural practices, like female genital mutilation, may no longer be serving any effective purpose in this digital era. But any initiatives aimed at empowering women must be sensitive to previous generations that still hold such cultural rites in reverence, even as we come up with modern ways of enculturing the youth.

There is no doubt that African women are a valuable resource, and should be empowered wherever possible. Their contribution to development cannot be gainsaid. In fact, they have been called "a powerful untapped economic force."

However, it would be inappropriate to attempt the destruction of the important cultures that define not just gender, but human relationships, in African society. Africa needs population development, rather than population control.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)