ISLAMABAD – To commemorate World Population Day, a collaborative event was organized in Islamabad on Monday. A joint effort of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pakistan, the British High Commission, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) and the Population Program Wing (PPW), the event revolved around the theme ‘A World of 8 Billion: Towards a Resilient Future for All – Harnessing Opportunities and Securing Rights and Choices for All.’
Addressing the function, Christian Turner, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, said Pakistan’s population would double in the next 30 years, which would put a heavy strain on its resources. “The business as usual approach must end. It is important to talk about family planning. The UK is the largest donor of family planning in Pakistan and has supported the country since 2012. Delivering Accelerated Family Planning in Pakistan (DAFPAK ) is a £90 million program that has so far reached 7 million family planning users, mostly from marginalized communities. The UK remains committed to supporting Pakistan,” he said. added.
Addressing the World Population Day event via video testimony, President Dr. Arif Alvi expressed concern over the steady population growth and meager resources available in Pakistan. He said the government must exercise all options to raise public awareness of the negative implications of population growth not only on human health, especially mother and child, but also on people’s economic and social life. .
Abdul Qadir Patel, Minister of Health, noted that Pakistan’s population is likely to double over the next 30 years. He stressed that all partners and stakeholders, including civil society organizations and NGOs, should come together and partner with the government to address this growing problem.
Dr Sabina Durrani, DG Population, Population Program Wing (PPW), said that parents have the right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children in order to respect the fundamental rights of their children and to their family by maintaining a balance/tawazun between their family size and resources.
Collaborative event organized to mark World Population Day
“Population is the denominator of all the challenges and problems that Pakistan is currently facing. It is necessary that we devote adequate funding to Accelerated Family Planning in Pakistan to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend,” said Dr. Shabnam Sarfraz, Social Sector and Decentralization Member, Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan. She also remarked that for a progressive and prosperous Pakistan, it is important that we provide equal opportunities for men and women in education, employment and entrepreneurship.
UNFPA’s representative in Pakistan, Dr. Bakhtior Kadirov, called for focusing on each person; about ensuring that our world can meet our needs and those of future generations, about human rights and about leaving no one behind.
Singer, philanthropist and brand ambassador for family planning in Pakistan, Shehzad Roy encouraged the government to ensure that before a married couple goes to the Nikkah registry office to get their marriage certificate, they are obliged to follow a basic course on reproductive health in order to have adequate knowledge on family planning and birth spacing before starting their married life. “This would not only encourage people to adopt family planning measures, but also raise women’s awareness of their basic rights,” Shehzad added.
The need for family planning remains incredibly high in Pakistan. The basic challenges are there such as misperceptions, lack of trained health personnel, lack of communication between partners and others, but if we do not bring about serious change, the population of Pakistan is likely to double over the course of of the next 30 years.