An EU, UNFPA and Ministry of Health delegation conducted a field visit in Luxor on February 21, to follow up on the progress of Egypt’s National Population Strategy project, supported by the EU.

The delegation was headed by Ibrahim Laafia, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Egypt, Aleksandar Bodiroza, UNFPA Representative in Egypt and Sahar al-Sonbaty, Head of the Family Planning Sector at the Ministry of Health and Population.

They conducted visits to the New Karnak Women Health Club within the primary health care center, as well as the training center, where doctors are being trained on family planning methods. They also attended a youth treasure hunt activity and visit a mobile family planning clinic.

The delegation concluded its visit with a meeting with deputy health minister in Luxor Al-Sayed Abdel Gawad.

The project is funded by the European Union and aims at increasing the use of voluntary, rights-based family planning though improved supply of family planning services and commodities, increased demand for family planning, and enhanced population governance. It will ultimately benefit Egyptians of reproductive age who will have more choices regarding the size of their families, as well as the timing and spacing of children. 

With the support of the EU, UNFPA, upon the request of the Government of Egypt, led the drafting process of the National Population Strategy, and now holds the pen to facilitate its actual implementation and inter-institutional coordination.