The Ministry of Health and Population's Population and Family Planning Sector announced that it seeks to implement by 2020 a ‘three children for each woman’ scheme through spreading family planning methods among women as part of the 2020 sustainable development plan.
The government targets an increase by 62.8 percent in the usage rate of family planning methods by 2020, compared to a current rate of 58.5 percent.
Egypt’s population reached 92 million in November, the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) said, an increase of 1 million people in just six months.
Egypt’s population is growing at a rate five times higher than that of developed countries, and twice as high as developing countries, CAPMAS had said in its June report.
Head of the Population and Family Planning Sector, Soaad Abdel Megid, said the sector has already geared up efforts to put the 2020 sustainable development plan into action.
The sector organized four free medical convoys targeting hundreds of underprivileged women through which family planning methods were provided in four governorates, namely Cairo, Aswan, Qaliubiya and Fayoum.
Additionally, ’My happiness and health lie in family planning’ campaign was launched across the country, reaching thousands of women in an attempt to raise awareness on family planning issues.
The governmental sector also developed a training curriculum, through joining efforts with other NGOs that work in the field of population and family planning, aiming to increase the capabilities of trainees.
Finally and in coordinated efforts, a protocol was recently signed with the Literacy and Adult Education Authority to establish literacy classes for women, Abdel Megid said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
