Family Planning Should Do MoreAs one of China's largest non-governmental organizations, the China Family Planning Association (CFPA) should work harder in the country's family planning and reproductive health service, a top official said Monday.Jiang Chunyun, president of CFPA, made the remark at a symposium marking the 20th anniversary of the association which was established after population control was declared state policy. Now only 30 per cent of grass roots associations does a very good job, while 30 per cent does a poor one, according to Jiang. The CFPA has more than 83 million members and 1.02 million branches, extending from the national to the grass roots level and covering State enterprises, joint ventures, the rural migrant population and the urban unemployed. Jiang, who is also vice-chairman of Standing Committee of National People's Congress, said the network can do more to satisfy family planning and reproductive health needs than any single government agency. The extensive network is a great advantage when dealing with marginalized groups such as women in poverty-stricken areas, unmarried youth, migrants, laid-off women workers and infertile couples, Jiang said. The CFPA's network reaches almost every household in every Chinese village, a vital in meeting people's needs, said Liu Hanbin, deputy vice-president of CFPA. Among local volunteers, there are experts and professionals in various fields who not only play a role in promoting family planning and reproductive health, but also help families and individuals to solve other problems. Since the CFPA became a member of International Planned Parenthood Federation in 1983, the association has expanded international exchanges in population and family planning. This year the CFPA received US$7.3 million donation from Bill Gates Foundation for a nationwide sex and reproductive health education campaign among the country's young people. The pilot educational project, launched at Renmin University, received a warm welcome from students, Zhou Qiao, a student volunteer of the CFPA, said at the symposium. |
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