Mehrab Shah Afridi
ISLAMABAD: The Population Council, in collaboration with the Information Service Academy (ISA) and UNFPA, convened a Media Coalition Meeting in Islamabad on 13 March to strengthen journalists’ role in advancing Pakistan’s National Action Plan on population under the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
The meeting brought together senior journalists, communication experts, and public sector representatives to explore how evidence-based reporting can improve accountability and public understanding of demographic challenges. Established in 2018, the Media Coalition has grown to over 60 members from print, TV, radio, digital, and local language outlets, producing more than 2,000 stories on population, family planning, and development issues.
Dr. Ali Mir of the Population Council emphasized the role of responsible journalism in shaping national discourse, while ISA Director Adnan Akram Bajwa stressed that accurate reporting builds public trust and influences institutional responses. Ikram ul Ahad of the Population Council highlighted Pakistan’s reproductive health crisis, noting six million unintended pregnancies annually, of which 3.8 million end in unsafe abortions, disproportionately affecting rural women.
Coalition members presented findings on provincial progress in implementing the National Action Plan, revealing urban–rural disparities, shortages of female health workers, contraceptive supply disruptions, and uneven policy implementation. Participants urged deeper media coverage of population-related issues to enhance public awareness and policy accountability.
Dr. Jamil Ahmad Chaudhry of UNFPA concluded by calling for collective action to protect the health and rights of women and girls, underscoring the media’s role in ensuring provincial commitments translate into measurable improvements.
#PopulationCouncil #MediaCoalition #UNFPA #ReproductiveHealth #PakistanPolicy #PopulationPlanning
