KABUL - Funded by the government of Iceland, the first-ever national conference on family planning -- bringing together participants from several Muslim countries -- began in Kabul on Tuesday.
Acting Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil, UNFPA Representative Dr. Laurent Zessler, parliamentarians and representatives of the Ministry of Hajj and Ulema Council attended the opening ceremony.
In her address, the minister quoted a 2010 mortality survey that says 90 percent of married women are familiar with a contraception method, but only 22 percent use a family planning method.

She hoped the two-day conference would help bridge the gap, saying the participants would share their experiences and knowledge and prepare to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters and ensuring universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

Family planning challenges and birth spacing and opportunities in Afghanistan will be discussed during the conference, which is also supported by the International Council on Management of Population Programmes (ICOMP).

The UNFPA representative said: "By galvanizing greater commitment to family planning as part of a comprehensive package of reproductive health supportive interventions, we can reduce poverty, improve maternal health, advance women's empowerment and gender equality."

Dr. Laurent Zessler believed progress toward achieving all eight Millennium Development Goals could be achieved through family planning -- the best documented practice to reduce maternal mortality. By ensuring access to modern contraceptives, we can reduce maternal mortality by up to 40 per cent."

Representative from Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines and India are taking part in the event. On average, a Pakistan mother gives birth to 4.1 children, a Bangladesh to 2.7, an Indian 2.7, a Nepalese to 2.6, an Iranian to 2, a Tajik to 3.5 and an Afghan to 5.1.