HPC Secretary General, Dr. Abla Amawi, stressed the need to integrate population dynamics in local and national planning processes to ensure that the size, structure and basic needs of the population are taken into account, thereby making strategic plans more results-oriented and contributing to the realization of the vision for decentralization in line with sustainable development goals.
During an awareness and training program implemented by HPC in cooperation with USAID J-CAP (Tawasol) from January 28 to 31, 2019, on integrating population dynamics in the local plans of the northern governorates (Irbid, Jarash, Mafraq), Amawi noted that integrating population indicators and dynamics in local and national development plans helps to increase the options of potential projects that governorate councils could include in their executive governorate plans for (2019-2022) depending on the demographic indicators of each governorate to support the realization and investment in the demographic dividend, which is expected to reach its peak in 2040.
On the other hand, HPC Programs Unit Director, Dr. Sawsan Al Da’aja, said that the program is part of a project aimed at integrating demographic indicators in the local development plans of governorates. She added that the program has been implemented so far in nine governorates (Ajloun, Madaba, Tafilah, the capital, Zarqa, Balqa, Ma’an, Karak, Aqaba) and incorporates awareness and youth capacity building projects in the field of family planning and reproductive health.
Further, the Director of Studies and Polices Unit at HPC, Ali Al Mutlaq, overviewed the demographic, social and economic indicators of the governorates of the north, while consultant Dr. Qais Al Khalafat delivered a training in how to integrate population indicators in governorate executive plans for (2019-2022).
The program is aimed at all heads of governorate council committees in the governorates of Irbid, Jarash and Mafraq, as well as the executive councils which comprise representatives of the directorates of youth, health, education, labor, environment, agriculture, tourism and antiquities, public works, social development, culture, industry and trade as well as the mayor of greater municipality. The purpose of the program is to raise awareness of the demographic dividend, realization policies, and population-related KPIs at the governorate level. It also seeks to equip participants with skills to formulate social strategic goals and their related sectoral demographic goals, the KPIs for measuring the achievement of goals, description cards for the projects that will be included in the governorates’ executive plans and determine budget allocations for family planning and entrepreneurship.
