World Population Day 2020: Message from Syed Murad Ali (Shah Chief Minister Sindh)

TEXT: It brings me immense pride at that today Sindh is celebrating the World Population Day during COVID-19 pandemic. This highlights our resilience and commitment to uphold the rights for the women and girls cannot be held back despite the current COVID challenges. We know that on 11th July 1987, the United Nations unanimously announced to observe the "World Population Day". The global concern for a rapidly growing population was further deliberated upon during International Confernce on Population Development (ICPD) held at Cairo during 1994 where ICPD espoused for an evidence based relationships between population, development and an individual's being. This year's theme announced by UNFPA is"putting the brakes on Covid-19:how to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now" which our government is committed to implement through actionable goals.

Access to safe and voluntary family planning is a human right. The family planning not only essential to achieve gender equality, women's empowerment and egliteratianism, it is also a key factor in reducing poverty. Today's theme is the ideal when Pakistan and other developing countries are striving for achieving target on FP2020 and beyond. Sindh being a progressive and forward looking province is at the forefront regarding this international and national commitment.

We know that unchecked and high population growth mars socio-economic development. This was set as a top priority for Sindh when after devoluaton, the population program was put on recurrent budget. Later on, Sindh was the first province to develop its roadmap regarding FP2020 commitment made by Pakistan at the 2012 London Summit. In this regard, a Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) was designed and launched in 2015 which was based on national and international success stories. In 2016, Sindh took the lead to developing a Population Policy, drawing its vision from historic words of ShaheedMohtrama Benazir Bhutto, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan at a landmark Conference in Cairo during 1994. In line with those efforts, Sindh has now one Minister for Health and Population Welfare which shows a recognition of interlinkages between family planning and reproductive health services and rights.

Sindh's demographics are unique as the natural population growth is comparable to other provinces, but the inter-provincial and external migration to the province attributes to the spike in population, unlike other provinces.

Sindh has taken lead on progmuating landmark legislation for the rights of women and girls including Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2019; Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013; Domestic Violence Restraint Act and a law relating to Marital Counseling in likely to be promulagated soon. The Education Department has introduced Life Skills Based Education for schools and colleges.

Today, as we celeberate the World Population Day, I can assert with confidence that my government will do its best for the health rights of women and girls in Sindh. An example of our commitment is the ''Sindh Family Planning and Reproductive Guidklines during COVID-19".

I pledge my unequivocal support to ensure the success of the family planning program in sindh. The People's government will extend its political, administrative and financial assistance to achieve family planning and reproductive health rights to all the women in Sindh in the fairest and most indiscriminate manner and will continue to do its utmost for a healthy and prosperous Sindh.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020