UNITED NATIONS POPULATION INFORMATION NETWORK (POPIN) UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)

India to Host Family Planning

India to Host Family Planning Meeting

 

India will play host to the Expert Group Meeting on Family Planning, Health 

and Family Well-Being in Bangalore from 26-30 October 1992. The meeting, one 

of six expert group meetings preceding the International Conference on 

Population and Development, 1994, will bring together renowned experts in 

family planning, policy-makers, representatives of both inter-governmental 

and non governmental organizations, and United Nations officials.



Despite the success of a number of family planning programmes in developing 

regions of the world, implementation problems continue to hinder progress in 

some countries. The meeting will attempt to address these problems.



Changes in the social, economic and demographic conditions of the world are 

such that even when programmes are successful, there is no room for 

complacency. Programmes should be continually evaluated and reviewed. The 

considerable increase in the number of couples who will need access to 

family planning services and information by the year 2000 will be a major 

consideration in shaping family planning programmes in the years ahead.



Family planning is not just a demographic issue. It is also an issue related 

to individual rights, socio-economic development, preservation of the 

environment, and the health and well-being of women, couples, families and 

society at large. The participants will examine the issues in this light, 

and will place special emphasis on both operational and financial questions.





The general objectives of the meeting are how to improve the efficiency and 

effectiveness of existing family planning programmes and services; how to 

reach larger segments of the population; how to devise innovative approaches 

to new or existing problems; and how to obtain the funding needed for the 

ever-increasing demand for family planning services.



The Expert Group Meeting encompasses seven sessions. The session on "Society 

and Family Planning" will examine societal aspects of family planning 

programmes in developing countries, in particular, the political, economic 

and socio-cultural context in which programmes operate, with special 

emphasis on the role and status of women. The session on "Family Planning 

Programmes: Lessons Learned" will discuss the impact of family planning 

programmes around the globe and attempt to draw lessons from those 

experiences. "Programme Implementation" will address important operational 

aspects of family planning programmes, including their organization and 

management; quality of services; human resource development; unreached 

populations; adolescent fertility; information, education and communication 

activities; community-based delivery systems; social marketing of 

contraceptives; and future contraceptive requirements and logistics 

management needs.



Nowadays, family planning programmes are seen not only as programmes to 

reduce fertility, but as programmes which promote the welfare of the entire 

family. The session devoted to "Family Planning and Health" will discuss 

safe motherhood and child survival, and sexually-transmitted diseases, 

including AIDS. "Family Planning and Family Well-Being" will review changes 

in the size and structure of the family and consider the implications of 

these changes for family well-being and child development.



An emerging issue which will be addressed is that of people's involvement in 

family planning programmes. Direct community involvement helps ensure that 

services are provided in accordance with community preferences, and are thus 

more likely to be accepted.



Another question which participants will consider is the cost of 

contraception for individual couples, which in some circumstances may still 

be an important barrier to contraceptive practice. How much can users around 

the world afford to pay, and how much will Governments need to spend to make 

family planning information, supplies and services fully available?



The future role of NGOs and the private sector in family planning service 

delivery will also be raised, in view of the expected rise in the number of 

users and the cost of providing high quality services.



The final session of the expert Group Meeting will be devoted to the 

discussion and adoption of a set of recommendations to be presented to the 

Preparatory Committee of the International Conference on Population and 

Development, 1994.