It is my enormous pleasure to note that Population Welfare Department Sindh alongwith global community is commemorating World Population Day on 11th July 2004. It is also a matter of pride that Pakistan is an active partner of other countries, endeavouring for social and economical development.
The topic of the year 'ICPD at 10' demands to evaluate the efforts and strategies formulated in light of International Conference on Population & Development (ICPD) -1994 Cairo, Egypt, charter. The reckoning of our past 10 years policies towards ICPD resolution shows that we have tremendously succeeded towards Reproductive Health, Population and its related issues.
The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 14% to 28% Population growth rate has been declined from 2.9% to l.9%. In other sectors like female literacy, women empowerment and gender discrimination etc have been addressed aggressively and adequate results obtained.
This is not enough, we have to take many revolutionary bold steps towards women rights, women health, female literacy, access to contraceptives and other areas indicated under ICPD synopsis.
The present Government is fully committed for political and administrative support to all the public and private organisations engaged in implementation of ICPD recommendations according to our anthropological structure.
In the history of Population Welfare Program, first time Government of Sindh has allocated a block allocation of Rs 30.000 million, which helped the department in expansion of its service network and strengthening of communication activities.
Government of Sindh will continue this financial support for coming years also to ensure quality services at the doorsteps of the rural population.
Taking this opportunity, I also request all the public and private sectors to come up and join hands with Population Welfare Department in promotion of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Program.
I also wish them all success.