Minister for Population Welfare, Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain said the population welfare programme has played vital role in achieving the objective of population stabilisation for securing generation's future.
He stated this while addressing the World Population Day's event organised by Ministry of Population Welfare in collaboration with United Nation Population Fund (UNPFA) and Green Star Family Planning Programme here on Wednesday. Secretary Population Welfare, Shehzado Sheikh presented the welcoming address.
While elaborating the theme "Men and Maternal Health" selected by the United Nations this year, Chaudhry Shahbaz said men could play pivotal role in a household to forge gender equality in all societies of the world.
He said the world population has exceeded 6.4 billion and 40 percent of our population is less than 24 years of age and these adolescents need special attention with reference to reproductive health. Chaudary Shahbaz urged NGOs, stakeholders and common people to come forward and help female folk to get secured from reproductive and maternal health problems.
He also called elected representatives at the federal, provincial and district level, religious scholars and teachers to play pro active role in popularising the concept of small family norms for the welfare of masses.
Representative UNFPA, Hulki Uz expressed the views of Dr Thoraya Ahmad Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director saying the reason for selecting this year's theme is because men have decision-making power in their many roles as fathers, husbands and community, religious, and political leaders.
"Men could make a tremendous contribution by using their power for positive change. Men have power in wide-ranging situation from personal and family decision to policy and programme decision taken at all levels of government", he remarked.
The United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) supports safe motherhood initiatives around the world. It work with government and other partners to ensure that every women has access to voluntary family planning, skilled attendance at birth, and emergency obstetric if complications arise during delivery.