ISLAMABAD: 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 Islamabad.

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 work-plan for 2025.

In his welcome remarks, Dr Ali Mohammad Mir, Senior Director of Programmes, 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.

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.

Members of the CSOs Coalition worked collectively on developing the CSOs Coalition work-plan for 2025, identifying key priority areas, including strengthening advocacy for the effective implementation of NAP of Population.

The coalition strongly urged the government to expedite the implementation of the NAP and improve weak service delivery mechanisms by reinforcing community-based service delivery through LHWs and Community Midwives (CMWs). They stressed that the focus of these frontline health workers should be shifted back to family planning service delivery at the grassroots level.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Ghulam Farid Khan, Programme Analyst, UNFPA, reaffirmed UNFPA’s ongoing commitment to supporting evidence-based policymaking and fostering multi-sectoral partnerships to achieve both national and international family planning commitments.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2025