During a consultative meeting at Health Services Academy in Islamabad, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik highlighted the dire need to spread awareness for couples seeking to get married about maternal health and family planning.
Moreover, the chairman expressed willingness to make an online course for spreading awareness about planning a family mandatory for marriage registration.
On the other hand, Goodwill ambassador of Population and Family Planning Shehzad Roy also pushed for the initiative during the event. “18,984 children were born in Pakistan every day”, said Roy, stressing this be made a national awareness campaign.
18,984 children r born in Pakistan every day! As an ambassador of Family Planning&Population,I salute Chairman Nadra @ReplyTariq for supporting #NCMNH's Reproductive Health online course & advocating wit @nhsrcofficial to make it compulsory for all couples who wish to get maried pic.twitter.com/K0epSwGHT6
— Shehzad Roy (@ShehzadRoy) February 15, 2023
Family Planning – A Much-Needed Conversation
“If couples would complete the reproductive health course, they will learn about maternal health, spacing between children and contraceptives, because there is a large percentage of couples getting married that wish to engage in planning but they are unaware [about how to go about it]”, said Roy.
“I think if we could find a way to make this course compulsory, […] it could create a large impact for Pakistan in terms of population management”.
Upon this, the Nadra Chairman said that two significant proposals had emerged during the consultative session for which policymaking would now follow.
“One is that alongside identification, age verification will also be carried out during marriage registration” to identify whether the individuals getting married are underage.
“The other thing that has been suggested is pre-requisite courses for family planning […] so if we ensure these two steps, we could control underage marriages all the while providing education”.
Family Planning Awareness in Pakistan
Family planning is the process of deciding how many children to have and when to have them. It involves the use of various methods, such as contraception, to prevent unintended pregnancies. The importance of planning cannot be overstated as it has numerous benefits for individuals, families, and society as a whole.
Firstly, planning a family allows individuals to have greater control over their lives. It enables them to make informed choices about their reproductive health and provides them with the means to plan their families according to their needs and preferences. This, in turn, leads to improved physical and mental health outcomes, as well as better economic opportunities, particularly for women.
Secondly, family planning helps to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. Unintended pregnancies can lead to negative outcomes such as poor maternal and child health, increased maternal mortality and morbidity, and reduced educational and economic opportunities for women. By preventing unintended pregnancies, planning also reduces the burden on healthcare systems and society as a whole.
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Thirdly, family planning promotes gender equality. In many parts of the world, women have limited access to education, employment opportunities, and decision-making power. By providing women with access to family planning, they are empowered to make choices about their reproductive health and take control of their lives. This, in turn, can lead to greater gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Fourthly, family planning is crucial for sustainable development. The world’s population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and this rapid population growth poses significant challenges to the environment, food security, and economic development. By promoting planning, we can help to slow population growth and promote sustainable development.
Finally, family planning is essential for promoting global health and reducing poverty. By preventing unintended pregnancies, planning reduces the burden on healthcare systems, allowing them to focus on providing essential health services to those who need them the most. Moreover, such planning of babies can helps to reduce poverty by allowing families to plan their finances and invest in their children’s education and future.
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