Multi-sectoral approach stressed to check population

LAHORE: “Pakistan’s population growth has put us in a disaster mode. We need to tackle it on war footing. By 2050, Pakistan will need 20-24 million more jobs if the population keeps growing at this rate.”

This was stated by Dr Attiya Inayatullah, chairperson and moderator, Tuesday at a multi-sectoral dialogue on the CCI (Council of Common Interests) Task Force recommendations on population management and meeting SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) Target 3.7..

She said “Census after 16 years was a wake-up call but good news is that population programme has been re-tooled in the last one and a half year. Punjab Population Task Force and Population Commission have come into being. There is genuine effort to give contraceptives to people. While the government has a plan, it lacks implementation mechanism. We need multi-sectoral approach to check the ever increasing population.” She said six million couples don’t want another child in Pakistan.

The dialogue was organised by Shirkat Gah in collaboration with Ahung here at a local hotel. Uzma Kardar, Chairperson Gender Mainstreaming Standing Committee, Punjab was also there at the multi-sectoral dialogue that brought together a wide range of stakeholders: from Assembly members to senior officials of numerous departments including health, population welfare, education, sports and youth affairs, from commissions on women and health to civil society. Kardar said gender cuts across nine SDGs and PTI has included population’s health and the need to control it among its top priorities. She called for an outreach programme.

Opening the event, Humaria Sheikh, Director, Shirkat Gah, emphasised the importance of all stakeholders to address the challenge. Sheikh shared that in Iran FP counselling is mandatory in order to get married, and further stressed the value of such a multi-sectoral dialogue and threw light on some of the challenges youth faces in accessing information and services in the field. The meeting, organised by Shirkat Gah - Women's Resource Centre and Aahung, shared the lessons of Naya Qadam Project, in particular, the value of an integrated approach on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH). Participants were divided into two groups, one consisting of youth between 20-29 and the other from government departments and NGOs working on reproductive health and health and education in general. The discussion among youth was moderated by Nabila Malick of UN Women. Among the youth were women champions and male mobilisers who pointed out the gaps and challenges, foremost among them lack of access to information on family planning and of availability of services to youth. Nabila Malick stressed the need to first recognise youth as sexual and reproductive beings and called for a holistic approach. Young people find talking about reproductive health a taboo and called upon the need to break this but at the same time it came up that none of the young people present there ever went to a shop to buy a contraceptive.

Lack of couple counselling was highlighted. An MPA suggested that counselling after Nikah and before rukhtasi be made mandatory. The discussants underlined the need for Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) in schools which the Education department representatives said they are already giving.

The 63 percent youth of the country need guidance. “We need to educate men by giving them information about contraceptives,” said a male ally of Shirkat Gah. If men are part of the problem they must be part of the solution, said Inayatullah.

Another group of men and women working on reproductive health gave a number of suggestions; accurate and relevant information, pre and post marriage counseling, post abortion family planning. It was pointed out that the Population Council of Pakistan put abortion figure in the country at 22 lakh.

Emphasis was laid on public service messaging, integrating the programme into primary healthcare units, that is taking it to BHUs, RHCs and DHQs. A health official raised alarm at LHW (Lady Health Workers) cadre coming to an end. It was pointed out that educated women had less children and more so if they were working women.

CCI decided for pre-marriage counselling. The curriculum is ready but the question is who will do the counselling. Persons with disabilities need attention as more needs to be done to reach out to them. The moderator of this group was Sarah Zaman.

Attiya Inayatullah called for a presentation on population from Punjab government. She said population planning has not failed. Everyone needs to come together here so a multi-sectoral approach is the need of the hour.