Advancing Advocacy with ENGAGE Presentations: An Orientation to “Family Planning: Pathway to Poverty Reduction”

The ENGAGE presentation, titled “Family Planning: Pathway to Poverty Reduction,” aims to enhance individuals’ understanding of how family planning contributes to economic growth and poverty alleviation at the family, community, and national levels. It also seeks to elevate family planning on national and local policy agendas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. During this auxiliary session, the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) will introduce the ENGAGE presentation and provide training to individuals on how to effectively use it when engaging with policy audiences, such as government policymakers, civic and religious leaders, health sector leaders, program officials, family planning advocates, and journalists.

Session on Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) and Programmatic Guidance by WHO

The objective of this session is to provide input and recommendations for WHO’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research’s work plan for 2025-2028, in collaboration with international agencies, aimed at addressing the unmet need for family planning among women during the postpartum period. The session will focus on developing evidence-based programmatic guidance for health systems and identifying areas for further research.

Specific session goals include:

• Reviewing previous discussions and knowledge-synthesis activities from 2024-2025.
• Providing feedback on the proposal for programmatic guidance on promoting family planning during the extended postpartum period.
• Participating in the scoping process to determine the required content for programmatic guidance.
• Identifying ongoing activities and challenges in promoting postpartum family planning.

This session will serve as a platform for global experts to discuss gaps in programmatic support for postpartum family planning and guide the development of impactful policies and strategies.

Session on PPIUCD Implementation and Scale-Up: Lessons from Africa and Asia

This session will focus on lessons learned in establishing Postpartum Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PPIUCD) as part of broader postpartum family planning (PPFP) programs in countries such as India, Zambia, Rwanda, and Guinea. Participants will gain practical insights into the scaling-up process and hear success stories from country programs. The session will also include a demonstration of PPIUCD insertion on a model, with opportunities for participants to practice.

Objectives of the Session Include:

• Increasing participants’ understanding of the programmatic approaches necessary for establishing PPFP/PPIUCD services.
• Highlighting key components such as advocacy from Ob-Gyn providers, the creation of educational materials for training, the development of master trainers, and the provision of necessary equipment.
• Strengthening supervision, post-insertion follow-up, and documentation to ensure the quality and scale of services.

Additionally, participants will learn about critical lessons, such as the importance of identifying and involving program champions, engaging all facility staff, and using examples from satisfied clients to promote services and increase acceptors.

This session aims to equip participants with practical tools and strategies to enhance the quality and reach of PPIUCD services in their respective regions.