Project on population planning launched

Islamabad : Speakers, at a project launching event on Friday, suggested the Federal Ministry of Education to include Life Skill Based Education in the mainstream curricula of the country.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood was the chief guest at the launch ceremony of WISH2ACTION project organised by Rahnuma Family Planning Association of Pakistan.

Commenting on the current political situation, he negated that there is any political crisis in the country. He said that such reshuffles in the cabinet happened in past as well and blamed social media for the current hype around the issue.

He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf has plenty of time to fulfil the promises made with the people. Sharing progress of his ministry, he said that through a survey, the ministry has identified 11,000 out of the school children in Islamabad and among them, 5000 children have already been enrolled in the schools. “The target is to enrol the rest by May end,” he said adding that after identifying the issues behind out of the school children in different parts of the country, the same policy of enrolling the out of the school children would be replicated throughout the country.

The WISH2ACTION is an innovative project based on cluster model being implemented by Rahnuma FPAP a member association of IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) in Pakistan in collaboration with Handicap International and Options as consortium partners. The intervention is being implemented in 10 districts across all four provinces and AJK including Faisalabad, Chakwal, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Badin, Quetta, Kohat, Mardan, Haripur and Muzaffarabad in AJK.

The deliverables include achieving 3.8 million CYPs and 0.329 million additional users. The project with reach out to young people, people with disability and most vulnerable and marginalized with Family Planning services. The project duration is three years likely to be extended for another two years.

The event was attended by secretaries, DGs of population Welfare Departments and department of health from all four provinces and AJK. Also present was Senator Najma Habib and other relevant high ranking stakeholders. On the occasion a number of NGOs and INGOs, CBOs and Academia representatives were also present. Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Head of Technical Support Unit of UNFPA also spoke on the occasion.

Chairperson of Rahnuma FPAP Mahtab Akber Rashdi delivered the welcome address. Regional Director of IPPF South Asia region, Kamal Shah shared the global and national context of FP programme and its related commitments. Dr Anjum Rizvi presented the project overview. Nabila Malick facilitated the entire event. President Rahnuma FPAP Rasheeda Paneezia gave vote of thanks at the end.