Civil society collective urges population stabilisation
The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Coalition on Population has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms and advancing Pakistan's population stabilisation efforts at the CSOs Coalition Meeting on Population held in the federal capital.
Organised by the Population Council with the support of UNFPA, the meeting brought together key stakeholders to strategise on collaborative action and develop a comprehensive CSOs Coalition Workplan for 2025.
In his welcome remarks, Dr Ali Mohammad Mir, Senior Director of Programs at the Population Council, emphasised the pivotal role of civil society in bridging gaps in family planning service delivery and advocacy.
He referred to the National Action Plan (NAP), developed in alignment with CCI commitments and endorsed by the CCI, which explicitly outlines the responsibilities of CSOs.
Mir stated, "The National Action Plan, compiled in light of CCI commitments, clearly defines the role of CSOs in working closely with provincial DOHs and PWDs to extend family planning and reproductive health services to underserved and unserved areas.
Dr Saima Zubair, Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), highlighted the transformative role of CSOs and private sector engagement in strengthening family planning services across Pakistan.
She stressed the need for innovative service delivery approaches, particularly in marginalised communities, and cited a successful Population Council study in rural Islamabad, which demonstrated that engaging male family physicians significantly increased the uptake of family planning services.
Members of the CSOs Coalition worked collectively on developing the CSOs Coalition Workplan for 2025, identifying key priority areas, including strengthening advocacy for the effective implementation of the NAP of Population.
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