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ISLAMABAD, Dec 30 (APP):As Pakistan closes 2025 and enters the new year as the world’s fifth most populous country, home to more than 255 million people, experts are underscoring the urgent need for a strategic, rights-based approach to population management.
Dr. Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA Representative in Pakistan, said the nation’s high fertility rates, persistent gender inequality, and growing climate vulnerability demand that population issues be treated not as a burden but as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive development.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Pakistan made notable progress in 2025 on several fronts, including advances in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), improvements in population data systems, expanded youth-centered programs, and stronger efforts to address gender-based violence. Policy reforms, senior-level political commitments, and improved coordination between federal and provincial governments signal a growing recognition that population dynamics are central to shaping Pakistan’s development future.
However, significant challenges remain. High maternal mortality, unmet demand for family planning, early and forced marriages, gender-based violence, and inequitable access to quality reproductive health services—particularly in remote and climate-affected regions—continue to hinder progress. These factors are intertwined with stalled fertility decline and persistent disparities in development outcomes.
“Pakistan has the talent, vision, and capacity to advance its population and development agenda,” Dr. Shabaneh noted. “What is needed now is decisive focus, stronger governance, and effective accountability to ensure that commitments made at the highest levels translate into real improvements in people’s daily lives.”
UNFPA emphasized that sustained investments in sexual and reproductive health, combined with expanded educational, economic, and skills-development opportunities for women and girls, are key to supporting informed reproductive choices and achieving balanced population growth. Such investments not only bolster demographic resilience but also strengthen families, enhance livelihoods, and contribute to long-term economic stability.
Looking ahead to 2026, UNFPA is calling for a paradigm shift in how population indicators are integrated into national planning and financing frameworks. In particular, the organization highlighted the need to reform the National Finance Commission (NFC) formula so that it moves beyond population size as the dominant allocation metric. Instead, UNFPA suggests rewarding provinces for measurable progress in gender equality, climate resilience, fertility balance, and improvements in health and education services. Such reforms, it argues, would better align fiscal incentives with human development outcomes.
The organization also urged the government to fully implement the recommendations of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), with clear accountability mechanisms, defined timelines, and sustained domestic financing. Strengthening population data systems and evidence-based planning will be essential to meeting these goals.
UNFPA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pakistan in advancing reproductive rights, enhancing demographic intelligence, and translating population evidence into people-centered solutions.
As the country steps into 2026, UNFPA says the moment is ripe to turn political promises into tangible progress prioritizing reproductive rights, gender equality, and accountable governance to ensure inclusive and sustainable development for the nation’s future.