The National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (Indian Council of Medical Research) and the Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and Fertility (ISSRF) are organizing a Symposium on “Expanding Contraceptive Choices: International and Indian Experiences and their Implications for Policies and Programmes” from December 7-10, 2003 at Mumbai. The symposium, with participation of experts from all over the world, is being organized with technical support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization; South-East Asia Regional Office of the WHO; WHO Representative in India; UNFPA; Population Council; MacArthur Foundation; CONRAD; USAID; and a number of other national and international organizations.
The overall objective of the symposium is to make recommendations for developing a comprehensive strategy for expanding the contraceptive choices and increasing their accessibility and acceptability for enhanced utilization. The specific objectives are to (i) review the context of unmet need for family planning; (ii) identify the barriers and bottlenecks to accessibility, availability and acceptability of existing contraceptive methods; (iii) identify approaches for ensuring quality of care in family planning services; (iv) review the development, safety and efficacy of new and improved methods of fertility regulation; and (v) recommend policies and programmes to promote free and informed choice for family planning.
The expected outcome of the meeting will be in the form of comprehensive policy recommendations directed at: (i) meeting the current needs and preferences of eligible couples for family planning; (ii) meeting the rising demand and potential need for contraception among the young people; (iii) improving policy environment for addressing users’ preferences and utilization of contraception; (iv) developing strategies for delivering quality family planning services; and (v) recommending evidence-based method mix for the national family planning programmme.
Over 300 delegates, including programme managers, policy-makers, researchers, women health groups, NGOs and others are expected to participate in the meeting.