News

The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is co-convening Malawi’s 2^nd Family Planning and Population Conference with the Government of Malawi’s Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development and other partners. The conference is scheduled to take place between June 22^nd and 24^th, 2016 at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe.

The Conference, whose theme is “Harnessing the potential for family planning in young people for sustainable socio-economic development,” aims to advocate for the reinvigorating of family planning, with a focus on young people, as an integral component of achieving Malawi’s social and economic development.

Specifically, the conference aims to: generate commitment for the implementation of the Costed Implementation Plan 2016-2020 and Family Planning 2020 through resource allocation; facilitate sharing of experiences, innovations, best practices and key lessons in family planning practice as they relate to young people; promote and increase sustainable financing towards family planning services for young people; promote family planning integration in all socio-economic services and programmes; cultivate and support family planning advocates and champions; and improved Logistics Management Systems and value supply chain management of family planning commodities.

An Action Plan and Communique will be issued at the end of the Conference underscoring official Government commitment for family planning and population issues as integral components of Malawi’s development aspirations.

The conference sessions will be organised under the following 10 sub-themes: Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights/family planning and demographic dividend; Women and girls’ empowerment (education, skills development, leadership, economic development) and improving family planning services; Demand creation for long acting and reversible family planning methods for adolescents and young women; HIV and family planning/contraceptive use; Male inclusion and involvement in family planning; Barriers to contraceptive use among young people; Innovative approaches, including new technology in youth focused rights based family planning programs; Sustainable resource mobilisation for family planning programs, including public private partnerships; Reaching the end user, improving the family planning logistics management to enhance commodity security at local level; and Legal and other emerging issues in family planning service provision.

The conference organisers encourage participation from a cross-section of stakeholders including: Key/relevant Government Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development, National Statistical Office, Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, District Councils, Ministry of Local Government and Rural development; local and international NGOs in family planning; University and research institutions; Faith community; Heads of relevant parliamentary committees; media and the private sector.

AFIDEP is a member of the Conference Organizing Committee and Co-Chair of the Conference Research and Publications Committee.