Peshawar: The Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Mr. Babar Saleem Swati, met with a delegation from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) led by International Family Planning Advisor Dr. Mela Hidayat. The meeting focused on UNFPA’s ongoing initiatives in KP and explored avenues for enhanced collaboration to address critical social challenges in the province.

The session was attended by Secretary KP Assembly Kifayat Ullah Afridi, Special Secretary Syed Waqar Shah, and MPA Akbar Ayub Khan, who actively participated in the discussions and shared their insights on the subject.

Dr. Mela Hidayat expressed her gratitude to the Speaker for his proactive role in the newly constituted Parliamentarians’ Forum on Family Planning. She highlighted the forum’s pivotal role in enhancing parliamentary oversight of family planning programs and mobilizing resources for effective implementation.

Syed Waqar Shah, Special Secretary to the Speaker, emphasized the importance of the Speaker’s vision in advancing family planning and gender equality in the province. He also outlined the past contributions of the KP Assembly in addressing these critical issues, stressing the continued need for legislative support in promoting the welfare of the population.

The meeting also covered UNFPA’s broader programs on gender equality and youth empowerment. Dr. Hidayat underlined the importance of sustained collaboration with the Provincial Assembly to address pressing issues related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender equity.

Speaker Babar Saleem Swati praised UNFPA for their impactful work in KP, particularly their contributions to promoting family planning, SRH, and gender equality. He reaffirmed the Provincial Assembly’s commitment to supporting initiatives that uplift the well-being of the province’s population.

The Speaker stressed the significance of coordinated efforts between stakeholders to achieve meaningful progress in family planning, youth development, and gender equity. This collaboration represents a positive step toward addressing key social challenges in KP.