Well-being of the Youth Hinges on their Right to Make Informed Choices about their Sexual and Reproductive Health

World population Foundation (WPF), Pakistan held the second round of consultations for its European Union’s funded project, “Rights Driven Institutionalization of Sexual and Reproductive Health in Pakistan” here in Karachi.

To lead this pioneering study, which aims to improve the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) status of young people in Pakistan WPF formed two National Expert Panels (one at Islamabad and the second at Karachi) and engaged an International Consultant, Professor John B.F. de Wit, Director, National Centre in HIV Social Research, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales | SYDNEY, Australia to work with the project team. While the first round of consultations with the Islamabad panel concluded last month, the second round was held in Karachi to take the process forward.

Project Manager for “Rights Driven Institutionalization of SRH in Pakistan”, Mr. Saeed-ur-Rehman elaborated the findings of the first Consultative Forum at Islamabad for the information of the participants. It was shared that for the purpose of adopting a theoretical framework, WPF had two options, both of which were based on International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) declarations of 1994 and 2008. Adding on to this Country Representative, WPF, Mr. Qadeer Baig argued that the 1994 Charter was built on general human rights in its descriptions instead of focusing on SRH Rights while the 2008 declaration was more focused in its approach. However, after elaborate discussion it was deduced that since the study was the first of its kind in Pakistan, it was imperative that WPF does not restrict itself to merely one framework and to base the findings of the research on something more holistic it was imperative that all sorts of work done on the issue of Sexual and Reproductive Health should be taken along.

It was also decided that all stakeholders including media, religious leaders, teachers, students and parents will be involved in the research phase of the project and the focus will not merely be on school going adolescents but out of school youth will also be studied.

In the coming month, WPF will revise and share the revised draft of the research framework with experts while Packard Foundation has agreed to share its work done in India with regard to SRH Rights.

The Millennium Development Goals on poverty and hunger, particularly the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger cannot be achieved if questions of population and Sexual and Reproductive health are not squarely addressed. This translates into the need to prioritize SRHR of young people to reduce their vulnerability and promote wellbeing as today they form more than 64% of the total population of Pakistan. Young people's capacity to make healthy choices and actions is linked to the underlying principles of participation, non-discrimination, best interest of the child and attention to evolving capacities. In the face of these realities “Rights Driven Institutionalization of Sexual and Reproductive Health in Pakistan” is certainly a step in the right direction.