Advocacy: Civil society’s role stressed in creating awareness about reproductive health

Speakers at a forum Tuesday highlighted the importance of civil society organisations’ role in creating awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues.

The national learning Forum was organised by Rutgers-World Population Foundation (WPF). The forum was participated by civil society and non-governmental organisations. The purpose of the forum was to share achievements, experiences and outcomes of a 10-year programme, ‘Parwan’ implemented by Rutger WFP from 2011 to 2014.

The project contributes to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by promoting gender equality and women empowerment, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

Country Representative of Rutgers WPF Qadeer Baig stressed the need for strengthening the role of the civil society organisations in advocacy and raising awareness at community level to achieve universal realisation of the goals.

“We need to consolidate efforts for promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights among young people, women and marginalised groups,” Baig said. Representatives of different civil society organisations shared their strategies and challenges in achieving the MDGs. A research study carried out by Rutgers WPF last year on the status of sexual and reproductive health and rights, found 59 per cent community acceptance of birth of a girl child.

Qualitative finds show that birth of a boy is of greater celebration. The study also found 32 per cent community acceptance of forced teenaged marriages, whereas 39 per cent rejected.

“There is a considerable improvement in our behaviours with respect to young girls, women and marginalised groups, but there are still gaps in procedures that we need to address for more positive results,” WPF Manager Programmes Aftab Awan said.

Parwan project launched with the assistance of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs is led by SRHR Alliance comprising of five organisations: Rutgers WPF, Simavi, Amref, dance4life and Choice.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2014.