Experts came together to discuss faith-based approaches to promoting family planning, women’s empowerment, and improving population characteristics in a discussion at the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development on October 21.

The session was opened by Mr. Yves Sassenrath, UNFPA Representative in Egypt, Mr. Hugo Hagen, Bayer Middle East Senior Representative, Mr. Jürgen Scholz, German Ambassador to Egypt and Holgar Illi, Head of German Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Egypt.

The panel discussion brought together Dr. Abla Al-Alfy, Deputy Minister of Health and Population for Population Affairs and Family Development and Head of the National Population Council, Dr. Gamal Sorour, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director of the International Islamic Center for Population Studies and Research, Bishop Yolios, Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services (BLESS), Mr. Samer Lezzaiq, Vice President / Head of Global Health Unit, Bayer AG, Dr. Jaqueline Azer, Governor of Beheira, Dr. Khaled Abdelhalim, Governor of Qena, and was moderated by Mr. Sami Joost, Head of Public Affairs, Bayer Middle East.

In his opening remarks, Sassenrath said that one of the key aspects of UNFPA’s strategy to strengthen family planning service delivery and increasing demand for these services is actively engaging faith leaders and institutions.

“These partnerships have been crucial in developing culturally-grounded approaches to voluntary family planning,” he said.

He added that through working with faith-based organizations such as Al-Azhar and BLESS, UNFPA has also contributed to raising awareness on gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls, leading to a gradual shift in societal attitudes.

Sassenrath explained that empowering women and girls will in turn strengthen families and enrich communities.

“By combining faith-based approaches with scientific knowledge and multicultural partnerships, we are creating a powerful force for positive change in Egypt and beyond,” he concluded.

During the session, panelists discussed fostering partnerships between faith entities, the public and private sectors, civil society, and the media for comprehensive family planning efforts.