K-P assembly: Resolution to be tabled to address health problems of young girls
Female lawmakers seek support from male counterparts, say no section is against Islamic law.
MPA Sultana says there are many reasons for problems faced by girls aged between 10 and 19 which were not addressed or discussed due to cultural taboos.
PESHAWAR:
Female lawmakers will present a resolution in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly regarding a policy to provide valuable information on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) needs of adolescent girls and young mothers.
This was disclosed on Monday in a consultative workshop for media persons titled ‘Advocating for SRH and MNH Policy and Practice for Marginalised Adolescent Girls and Young Mothers’ organised by Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP).
“The resolution does not have any section which is against Islamic law. We have the support of 16 female MPAs and hope to also get support from male members,” said Sultana.
According to a section of the proposed resolution, the assembly would be asked to make provisions to train Lady Health Workers, Lady Health Visitors and Community Midwives to address problems faced by adolescent girls and young mothers.
FPAP Regional Director Gohar Zaman said adolescents and young people make up more than 60% of Pakistan’s population of which 27 million are females. The needs of adolescent girls and young mothers are grossly neglected at policy levels, leading to the worst social indicators in the South Asian region such as low female literacy, high infant mortality rate, high maternal mortality rate, low contraceptive prevalence rate amongst others, he added.
He said the FPAP in collaboration with Research and Advocacy Fund has taken the initiative to address SRH and MNH issues of young women by mobilising policymakers and stakeholders.
In K-P, 275 women out of 100,000 die annually from complications during child birth. The figures of Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate are highest for Balochistan at 785, followed by 380 in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, 314 in Sindh, 227 in Punjab and 201 in Azad Jammu Kashmir out of every 100,000 women every year.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2013.
Female lawmakers will present a resolution in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly regarding a policy to provide valuable information on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) needs of adolescent girls and young mothers.
This was disclosed on Monday in a consultative workshop for media persons titled ‘Advocating for SRH and MNH Policy and Practice for Marginalised Adolescent Girls and Young Mothers’ organised by Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP).
“The resolution does not have any section which is against Islamic law. We have the support of 16 female MPAs and hope to also get support from male members,” said Sultana.
According to a section of the proposed resolution, the assembly would be asked to make provisions to train Lady Health Workers, Lady Health Visitors and Community Midwives to address problems faced by adolescent girls and young mothers.
FPAP Regional Director Gohar Zaman said adolescents and young people make up more than 60% of Pakistan’s population of which 27 million are females. The needs of adolescent girls and young mothers are grossly neglected at policy levels, leading to the worst social indicators in the South Asian region such as low female literacy, high infant mortality rate, high maternal mortality rate, low contraceptive prevalence rate amongst others, he added.
He said the FPAP in collaboration with Research and Advocacy Fund has taken the initiative to address SRH and MNH issues of young women by mobilising policymakers and stakeholders.
In K-P, 275 women out of 100,000 die annually from complications during child birth. The figures of Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate are highest for Balochistan at 785, followed by 380 in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, 314 in Sindh, 227 in Punjab and 201 in Azad Jammu Kashmir out of every 100,000 women every year.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2013.