Youth council on family planning services launched

LAHORE:USAID’s flagship private sector health project, Frontier Health Markets (FHM) Engage, has launched the Youth Council for Sustainable Action. The youth council aims to amplify youth voices and promote sustainable health practices, particularly in family planning services across Pakistan.

FHM Engage is a global cooperative agreement that provides technical assistance to support local actors to improve the ability of health markets to meet supply-side capacity gaps and consumer preferences, contributing to equitable provision of and access to high-quality family planning and other health services and products in mixed health systems.

As one of the core consortium partners of FHM Engage, Pathfinder International, renowned for its community-led health programmes globally, brings expertise to ensure meaningful youth engagement in healthcare decision-making. ‘As the key implementer of the FHM Engage activity in Pakistan, Pathfinder International launches this initiative that empowers young people to actively shape interventions that enhance their health and overall well-being,’ stated Madiha Latif, Country Director at Pathfinder International, Pakistan. The Youth Council for Sustainable Action signifies a strategic effort by FHM Engage in partnership with Pathfinder International, to develop a youth council, brand and a digital platform to collectively empower youth to shape the discourse on their reproductive health.

The Youth Council for Sustainable Action comprises representatives from six diverse organisations, including the Baithak, Centre for Sustainable Development, Collective Pakistan, Indus Youth Welfare Organisation, Jagruti and School of Leadership.

These organisations converge under the common goal of advocating for accessible and informed health choices among Pakistani youth. Through a recent election, the Indus Youth Welfare Organisation was selected as the President and the Centre for Sustainable Development as the General Secretary of the Council.

It has pioneered a digital platform called ‘Bolo Health’ to deliver sexual and reproductive health services tailored for the youth. Derived from the Urdu word for ‘speak,’ Bolo embodies a call to action for youth to express their health needs and highlights Bolo Health’s commitment to foster dialogue and awareness around family planning issues in Pakistan. The Bolo Health platform offers certified doctor consultations, products, and health information, all conveniently accessible privately and online. This initiative aims to empower young individuals by providing them with reliable authentic resources and support to make informed decisions about their health.