Planning Commission to get population resource centre

Islamabad : The Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms has decided to establish a 'Population Resource Center', which would be served as a hub for strengthening the timely availability of demographic and population statistics improving the quality, reliability of population related data base.

The resource center would also help in provision of information for evidence guided decision making and policy reviews, said Member Social Sector Planning Commission Dr Shabnum Sarfraz.

In a press release issued here Saturday, she said that a high-level consultative meeting would be held at Planning Commission in next week.

Senior officials of Federal Ministry of Health Service, Regulation and Coordination, secretaries of the provincial health departments, population welfare departments, planning and development departments will also attend the meeting.

She said that the meeting will also be attend by the senior technocrats for an interactive dialogue and discussing the modalities for the formulation of population resource center.

The establishment of the Population Resource Center is expected to strengthen the existing mechanisms and processes for evidence guided planning, monitoring and evaluation of population projects, she added.

Besides, it would help in identifying bottlenecks for initiation of timely remedial action, continuously evaluating the population landscape and coordinating forums for generating debate on population policies and frameworks, she remarked.

Dr Shabnum said that the dedicated resources have also been allocated in the Public Sector Development Program for the year 2019-20 for the establishment of resource center, adding that national and international expertise will be engaged for the design and development of the center.

Member Social Sector Planning Commission Dr Shabnum Sarfraz said the Population Resource Center is expected to enter into active partnership with the public and private sector universities for establishing population policy research units.

These units would undertake valuable research in population priority areas, strengthening the evidence base for population program planning and policy reviews, she added.

Member Social Sector Planning Commission Dr Shabnum Sarfraz. said that there is a growing recognition on part of the government on the need as well as the importance of timely availability of quality and reliable data for guiding the planning process.