Interactive session held to strengthen family planning programmes

Islamabad:Family planning took centre stage at the 25th Annual Population Research Conference, where USAID’s Building Healthy Families (BHF) project organised a dynamic panel discussion titled ‘Flip the FP: A New Call to Action’. The session engaged policymakers, experts, and youth in exploring actionable strategies to strengthen family planning programmes in Pakistan, says a press release.

The panel featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Kaiser Bengali, renowned economist; Dr. Tamkenat Mansoor, prominent content creator; Khursheed Nadeem, TV host and chairperson of the National Rehmatul Lil Aalameen wa Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority; and Dr. Iffat Zafar Agha, CEO of Sehat Khani. The session was chaired by Nida Khuhro, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Population Welfare, and moderated by representatives of USAID’s BHF project.

The discussion delved into the structural, cultural, communal, and behavioural determinants influencing family planning in Pakistan. Panellists shared insights into key challenges and proposed unified and coordinated actions to align societal attitudes, promote grassroots engagement, and drive policy implementation.

Dr. Kaiser Bengali emphasised the importance of involving sociologists and psychologists in research to deepen our understanding of community dynamics. Khursheed Nadeem shed light on two significant societal issues: the preference for a male child and the practice of early marriages for girls. He emphasised that these cultural norms not only hinder the progress of gender equality but also place undue pressure on families and individuals.He pointed out that every parent has a duty to care for, educate, and nurture their children, helping them grow into responsible and capable individuals.