Family Planning in Pakistan: Have We Reached a Turning Point?

Hakim, A, and Miller, P. C
Published by National Institute of Population Studies and Population Council, April 1998.

This report takes a look at the history of contraceptive usage in Pakistan, and reviews the reasons for the failure of the family planning programmes in the past. It also examines the present to see what if anything has changed, and consider whether the country has reached a turning point. For this purpose, it looks at four critical indicators: increased demand for family planning services, improved availability of family planning services, increased use of family planning, and decreased fertility.
The report explains that between 1965 and 1990, political constraints, fueled by strong opposition from several quarters led to inconsistent family planning program implementation, and coupled by weak demand led to low use of family planning. Hence, despite economic and social changes in the country, little progress was made in the area of contraceptive use. During the 1990s, the cumulative effect of past economic and social changes, coupled with the restoration of democratic civilian government, have led to a substantial reduction in opposition to family planning, as well as to a reduction in the desired family size, and increase in the demand for family planning procedures. Family planning and fertility are starting to change, though at a slow pace, and an increase in government led family planning programmes may speed up the process.

Key words: Reproductive health, Family planning, Contraceptives, and Fertility.