LAHORE, June 3: International bodies have identified 69 poorly performing countries as far as social sector (health, education and poverty alleviation) is concerned and among them three worst performing states are: Pakistan, Ghana and Uganda.

Director General of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Tawodors Melesse sounded like chronic optimist when he told Dawn: “Pakistan has chance to get international community behind it in its fight against bad social indicators.”Visiting Pakistan to convince its politicians and civil society to jump on to the international bandwagon, which is heading their way this July, when world community meets in London for prodding donors to pay for “family planning and planned parenthood” in countries like Pakistan.

“With international donors – the Malinda-Gate Foundation and the DFID – behind us, we hope that July summit is a unique political and economic opportunity for countries like Pakistan,” he says and advises, “Pakistan must avail this opportunity by exhibiting political commitment to control its population and begin a process of social change. Many other countries with similar religious orthodoxy (prominently, Iran, Indonesia and Morocco) have controlled their population and improved their social indicators. Even Bangladesh is fairing much better. Why cannot Pakistan?”

Tawodors Melesse, one of the international dignitaries, who dared visit Pakistan despite all travel advisories, says: “What we need to project is that family planning process is not a contraceptives dispensing machine, rather it is about world peace and prosperity. Only a prosperous family can be at peace with itself and with society. Peace travels upwards; from family to locality, to city, to country and finally to the globe. At the heart of international peace is thus a small family of individuals.

That is precisely from where states need to start. Empower people, especially women, to plan and pace their lives and family and peace of mind.”Mr. Melesse, also vice-chair of civil society organisations involved in population planning, says he is here to “to sensitise Pakistani politicians and government that if they can show commitment to controlling population, the international community is there to lend a hand. It is political commitment of leadership that has made the difference for other countries and there is no reason why it cannot work for Pakistan.

Flanked by Amjali Sen, regional director, Melesse says: “Fortunately, people here are willing, as statistics prove, to control population. It is only a matter of reaching out to them through a better health cover and empowering them, both socially and legally, to exercise their rights to plan their family. There are 33 per cent population, which is termed as “un-met need” –who are willing to regulate their family but have no access to methods. With 30 per cent already under family planning cover, if 33 per cent more can be added, Pakistan could see a sea of change in its social indicators – poverty alleviation, better health and even better social peace.”

It is essentially a political process that needs commitment from the governments and rulers, but it is also a broader social process that includes multitudes of actors, the media included. Only societal pressure can force governments to divert more resources to health, education and poverty alleviation, which are essentials for better families and even better social peace in any country, he says.