Youth-Led Revolution: FHM Engage Shaping the Future of Family Planning Markets in Pakistan

Introduction – The Harsh Realities

In Pakistan, the family planning landscape faces formidable challenges marked by a stark lack of awareness and access to modern contraception. Socio-cultural barriers, economic constraints, and limited education compound these issues, leaving a substantial gap in knowledge.

FHM Engage steps into this critical space as a catalyst for change. By mobilizing and empowering youth delegates from diverse backgrounds, the project actively addresses the informational deficit.

These delegates play a pivotal role in data collection, awareness campaigns, and advocacy efforts, thereby working towards a paradigm shift in family planning mindsets.

FHM Engage's commitment extends beyond statistics; it seeks to instill a growth mindset and reshape community perspectives on family planning in Pakistan. As the project progresses, it stands resilient amid challenging realities, offering a hopeful path toward a future where family planning is not just understood but embraced for the betterment of communities.

Project Implementation – Reaching Out to The Masses

In a collaborative effort, the School of Leadership (SoL – learn more below) joined forces with FHM Engage, through Pathfinder International, to spearhead a transformative project aimed at engaging and collecting valuable insights from diverse communities. At the heart of this initiative was the promotion of a digital tool designed to capture data on sexual orientation, awareness of contraceptives, beliefs about family planning, and societal opinions on the same.

The driving force behind this endeavor was a group of 20 dynamic youth delegates drawn from various institutions. Coming together during the 22nd Young Leaders' Conference (YLC)—read more on the YLC below—these delegates collectively strategized and developed an impactful plan. Acknowledging diverse needs and promoting equal access to FP, the delegates shifted their focus to local areas, where they tirelessly promoted the digital tool, post conference. Through meaningful interactions with students, teachers, professionals, family members, and individuals from diverse age and socioeconomic backgrounds, the delegates successfully reached out to the masses.

Over the course of 40 days, their efforts yielded substantial results, with over 1200 responses collected. This initiative not only highlights the power of collaboration but also underscores the importance of grassroots efforts, led by individuals of all genders, in gathering meaningful gender-disaggregated data, and fostering informed discussions on family planning. As the project moves forward, the voices of these empowered youth delegates resonate as a testament to the impact achievable when communities unite for a common cause.

Recruitment of Youth Delegates

In the pursuit of empowering youth and amplifying their voices, the School of Leadership embarked on a rigorous journey within the dynamic landscape of Sindh, Pakistan.

Meticulously vetting and interviewing numerous young individuals, our focus extended to vibrant minds across the region. The selected delegates emerged not only as active members of their respective student societies or professions but also as dedicated advocates for positive change, with a specific emphasis on fostering healthy families, ensuring gender representation. Grounded in the belief that societal improvement begins with effective family planning, these youth delegates from a diverse and inclusive team.

Comprising 12 females, 7 males, and 1 transgender, the team stands united in its commitment to shaping a better future through the empowerment of youth and the promotion of holistic family values including family planning and responsible sexual behaviors.

More on the Annual Young Leaders’ Conference (YLC) 2023

The Young Leaders’ Conference (YLC) stands as a transformative experience, leaving an indelible mark on countless young lives. Over 6 days, participants from diverse backgrounds, engage in enlightening sessions led by influential figures. YLC not only broadens horizons but sparks a commitment to social change. Beyond the conference, the School of Leadership's impactful Social Action Projects (SAP) initiative ensures that the inspiration cultivated at YLC blossoms into tangible social activism, with alumni effecting positive change across Pakistan.

20 Youth Delegates from the FHM Engage project actively participated in the 22nd Young Leaders’ Conference (YLC), where they synergized efforts to uplift, engage, and establish meaningful networks.

As an integral component of their SAP, these delegates proactively connected with over 1200 individuals nationwide. Their initiatives included the collection of firsthand data, organization of awareness and informative segments, and frequent advocacy that the FHM Engage project embodies, such as Exploring gender concepts and roles from different communities.

More on the School of Leadership – A Silent Revolution

The School of Leadership (SoL) believes: "Empowered youth drive change. Informed choices shape our future."

SoL is a way of life; a platform where you speak from your heart, where raw talent comes to groom and grow themselves into responsible citizens by overcoming their fear, challenging themselves and pushing themselves to their limits.

SoL offers a field of dreams that are then transformed into reality. We serve as a haven for the youth, their stakeholders and communities to come and express what they believe best serves the society and its betterment including education, growth, development, respect, character building, integrity, intelligence.

SoL is a platform that has impacted over 5,000,000 individuals over a period of 22 years. It’s a vision, a dream, of our founding members to cultivate distinction because each individual is born different and needs to live its own distinction. SoL does not put you in boxes, rather has a vision to encourage freedom all within the boundaries of discipline. Freedom of thoughts, of dreams, of explorations and actions. We take three major take-aways with us, wherever we go; Speaking, Listening and Experiences when we find people with thirst for knowledge, and those who have questions, who are seekers and in search of direction, we open our basket of learning tools and have open conversations to give them a lens to see what they have been looking at apathetically and make them see alternate perspectives.