The Higher Population Council (HPC) and Share-Net Jordan held its annual meeting on Monday, July 22, 2024, and launched a policy brief and fact sheet on cesarean deliveries and sexual enhancers in Jordan. The event coincided with the HPC celebration of the World Population Day in July. The Secretary-General of the HPC, Professor Dr. Issa Al-Masarweh, presented the main aspects of Jordan's demographic situation. These included population size, growth, composition, distribution, and nationality. He also discussed how fertility and its variations and refugees have contributed to the rapid population doubling over the past two decades (2004-2024). Dr. Al-Masarweh also highlighted the current marital status of the population, marriage and divorce trends and patterns, and family planning practices in Jordanian society. He emphasized that demographic changes in Jordan are critical issues as they affect all sectors and population needs, with long-term impacts extending over several decades.

The Director of the Studies and Policies Unit at the HPC/Coordinator of Share-Net Jordan presented the achievements of Share-Net Jordan for 2024 and the outcomes of the regional conference on integrating sexual and reproductive health concepts into school curricula. This conference was held by the HPC and Share-Net Jordan last April, with participation of educational experts from Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Jordan, along with representatives from relevant national entities in Jordan. During the conference, three grants were awarded to Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan to conduct studies on topics related to the conference's theme.

Consultant Dr. Dalal Abu Rab presented the contents of the policy brief titled "Reducing Elective Cesarean Sections Without Medical Justifications In Jordan," prepared by the HPC and Share-Net Jordan. The brief aims to create a conducive policy environment to rationalize the recourse to cesarean deliveries and limit them to medically necessary cases. Jordan has seen a significant and steady increase in elective cesarean deliveries without medical justification, as evidenced by recent figures. A committee of experts representing the Ministry of Health, Royal Medical Services, Jordan University Hospital, and the Health Services Quality Accelerator Activity  in Jordan participated in preparing this brief. It diagnosed the problem and proposed alternatives for addressing it based on scientific evidence from national studies and statistics and face-to-face interviews with stakeholders.

Ghalib Al-Azza, lead researcher at the HPC, reviewed the fact sheet on "Sexual Enhancement Drug Utilization in Jordan Insights and Risks", prepared by the HPC and Share-Net Jordan. The fact sheet aimed to provide information and data on the use of sexual enhancers in Jordan, highlighting the facts and risks associated with this topic. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of safe and responsible sexual health by following healthy and safe practices to protect sexual and reproductive health for all. It also aims to guide health policies and sexual health education towards improving sexual health care and directing individuals and communities towards sustainable healthy choices. To this end, a national committee of practicing experts representing relevant national institutions was formed, including the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, the Customs Department, the Government Procurement Department, the Pharmacists Association, and the Public Security Directorate. This committee provided data on the available sexual enhancers, their types, and their effects, enabling the HPC to prepare this fact sheet.