New Delhi: India has become the only country to receive the Leadership in Family Planning – EXCELL Awards-2022 – at an international conference held in Thailand.
The award conferred in the ‘country’ category recognised India’s efforts in improving access to modern family planning methods.
Lauding the achievement, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted, “India wins the prestigious EXCELL award – Leadership in Family Planning by @ICFP2022. The award is a recognition of India’s efforts under PM @NarendraModi Ji’s leadership towards ensuring access to quality family planning choices based on right information & reliable services.” India has made outstanding progress not only in terms of improving access but also in adopting modern contraceptive methods, enabling couples to make informed choices about family planning, a health ministry statement said.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) – 5 data, the overall Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has increased substantially from 54 per cent to 67 per cent in the country from 2015-16 to 2019-20, it said.
Similarly, unmet needs of family planning have witnessed a significant decline from 13 per cent to 9 per cent. The unmet need for spacing has also come down to less than 10 per cent, the statement added.
The total ‘demand satisfied’ for family planning among married women aged 15-49 in India has increased from 66 per cent in 2015-16 to 76 per cent in 2019-21 which has already crossed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 75 set globally for 2030.
The government’s focus on improving easy and affordable access to modern contraceptives is reflected in the fact that 68 per cent of modern method contraceptive users obtain it from the public health sector, according to the NFHS-5 data.
Mission Parivar Vikas, one of the government’s flagship programmes, to reduce unmet needs in family planning, has also been a critical factor in the overall improvement, the statement said.
India’s efforts in improving family planning demonstrate the progress the country is making towards achieving the SDG targets on women and maternal health, it said.
The International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) has served as a strategic inflection point for the global reproductive health community, providing a global stage for more than 120 countries worldwide, organisations, and individuals to make important commitments and celebrate achievements as the world’s largest scientific conclave on family planning and reproductive health. “More often than not, policies and programmes are developed and designed for young people, and not by young people. There is potential, power, and push among young leaders and they should be shaping the agenda that impacts them with their asks, demands and aspirations for their well-being,” said Sahil Tandon, co-chair of the Programme Action Group for the Global Forum for Adolescents. The event was attended by more than 3,500 delegates physically and tens of thousands on the virtual platform.
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