STAFF REPORTER
PESHAWAR : A three-day Smart Advocacy Workshop on mobilizing domestic resources for family planning and reproductive health programmes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is underway in Peshawar. The workshop is being organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pakistan in collaboration with the FP2030 Asia-Pacific Hub.
The workshop is being attended by UNFPA Pakistan Programme Specialist Dr Jameel Ahmed, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Dr Fareed Marwat, Programme Specialist for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Family Planning Dr Shahid Khan Tanoli, as well as representatives from the Health Department, Population Welfare Department, Planning and Finance Department, district health and population welfare offices, and other relevant institutions.
The objective of the workshop is to strengthen advocacy capacities for securing sustainable financial resources for family planning, establishing effective engagement with policymakers, and promoting evidence-based advocacy.
Under the Smart Advocacy approach, participants are being trained to develop actionable advocacy plans for family planning, engage effectively with decision-makers, and strengthen collaboration among different institutions.
The sessions are also focusing on linking family planning not only with health outcomes but also with economic and social development, increasing budgetary allocations for the sector, and effectively mobilizing domestic resources.
According to the organizers, Pakistan has set important targets under FP2030 to improve family planning and reproductive health services. However, achieving these targets requires greater allocation of domestic resources and more effective utilization of available funds.
At the conclusion of the workshop, a practical Smart Advocacy Action Plan will be developed for engagement with decision-makers at the national and provincial levels, with a focus on increasing resources for family planning and strengthening policy-level advocacy.
The three-day workshop will conclude today in Peshawar, with participants expected to finalize a joint strategy for sustainable financing, effective policymaking and improved mobilization of domestic resources for family planning.
