Unleashing power of gender equality: Uplifting voices of women, girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The state authorities must intervene through syllabus and youth to combat the rising challenge of booming population in the country to offset the negative implications of over-population, on Wednesday.

This was the resolution shared by the speakers during a one –day seminar at the department of Journalism, University of Peshawar marking world population day organized under the auspices of Marie Stope Society. The theme for World Population Day 2023 is “Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities”.

The noted scholars, health practitioner and government functionaries participated in the program. Speaking on the occasion, noted national expert on population Mumtaz Askar called upon participants to learn and follow regional countries like Iran and Bangladesh, where practices in curbing the over-population are working through the pre-marital counseling and empowering women through national level programs.

She extolled the suo motto taken by the supreme court of Pakistan to lend the support in equating justifiable resources along with the rising population.

The chairman of the department of Journalism Prof. Dr. Faiz Ullah Jan while speaking gave suggestion to state authorities to introduce syllabus intervention at universities to educate youth about the reproductive health and knowledge. “We need to shun words like birth spacing and need not to press hard ourselves for expressing these reproductive issues in the garb of taboos”; he exclaimed.

He further stressed that youth must discuss such issues to make it a discourse and everyday talk for their wellbeing.

He stressed that state must realize that tackling poverty, terrorism and unemployment could only work if we are able to control the unbridling over-population.

Director Community Service’s program and ex-chairman Social Work Dr. Shakil Ahmad said that the country is gradually progressing in controlling the population but due to rising poverty and economic hardships, rural population is bound on the course of earning hands and social protection. He called upon the authorities to work for developing human resources and youth empowerment to achieve the bulging population.

Speaking as a participant, Director Technical population welfare Dr. Ambreen Akhter said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa population figure stands at 35 million is enough for us to rethink our population strategy.

Additional director Health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Saeed Gul mentioning the figure of 92 percent of awareness level at the national level about family planning is promising but on the ground, we could see no role that is alarming.

Assistant Professor, Journalism department Ali Imran said that we need to give hope to 65 million youth in the country for better future but with solid leadership vision and promising national level programs. During the seminar, chairman Islamic Ideological Council Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz and veteran journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rehman video messages were showcased for participants education.