By Mansoor Qaisar
The International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) has become a pivotal event in global health, uniting diverse stakeholders to advance the crucial cause of family planning. With a legacy spanning over a decade, the ICFP is at the forefront of addressing reproductive health, gender equality, and sustainable development. As we look forward to the upcoming ICFP 2025, there’s a renewed sense of optimism and determination to ensure accessible and equitable family planning services for all.
Family planning is a fundamental human right, empowering individuals and couples to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. It is also a cornerstone of sustainable development, directly influencing maternal and child health, education, and economic growth. The ICFP serves as a critical platform to highlight these interconnected issues, fostering collaboration among governments, NGOs, private sector partners, researchers, and advocates. Since its inception, the ICFP has been instrumental in advocacy and policy influence, providing a stage for high-level policy discussions that have led to significant policy shifts and increased funding for family planning programs worldwide. It also facilitates the exchange of cutting-edge research, innovative solutions, and best practices, propelling advancements in contraceptive technologies and service delivery models. Furthermore, the conference strengthens partnerships among diverse stakeholders, ensuring the sustainability of successful programs and amplifies the voices of those most affected by lack of access to family planning services, particularly women and youth, raising awareness and mobilizing action.
The upcoming ICFP 2025 promises to build on this rich legacy, with an agenda focused on innovation, inclusivity, and impact. Set to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, a country that has made remarkable strides in health outcomes and gender equality, ICFP 2025 aims to inspire and galvanize the global community to accelerate progress toward universal access to family planning. The conference will spotlight innovative solutions for universal access, highlighting groundbreaking technologies and approaches to overcome barriers to family planning services. It will prioritize youth engagement, providing platforms for young people to lead discussions and advocate for their reproductive rights. Emphasizing gender equality, ICFP 2025 will explore strategies to address gender-based violence, promote women’s economic empowerment, and ensure equitable access to family planning services. Additionally, the conference will focus on building resilient health systems capable of delivering high-quality, integrated family planning services and underscore the need for robust partnerships and accountability mechanisms to achieve global family planning goals.
As ICFP 2025 approaches, there is an urgent call to action for all stakeholders to recommit to the cause of family planning. Governments must prioritize funding and policy support; NGOs and civil society organizations must continue their advocacy and programmatic efforts; the private sector must innovate and invest in scalable solutions; and individuals must raise their voices to demand reproductive rights and services. The ICFP has shown that when we come together with a shared vision and determination, we can achieve remarkable progress. ICFP 2025 is more than just a conference—it is a movement toward a healthier, more equitable world. Let us seize this opportunity to accelerate our efforts and make family planning a reality for everyone, everywhere. In the words of Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, “Family planning is not only a matter of human rights; it is a pathway to sustainable development, prosperity, and peace.” As we look to ICFP 2025, let us walk this pathway together, with hope, commitment, and unwavering resolve.
Mr. Mansoor Qaisar, having gained valuable insights from attending the ICFP in 2018 and 2022, has become a prominent advocate in family planning, notably redefining it as “birth spacing” and securing key agreements from Pakistani religious leaders during his tenure at the Population Council’s Pakistan office. He posts on X: @MansorQaisar
