OVERVIEW

Girls and women’s ability to control their own fertility, and to decide if and when to have children and how many children to have, is a bedrock of women’s empowerment, gender equality, and progress for all. Despite great strides over the past several decades, 214 million women still have an unmet need for family planning, and many obstacles prevent girls and women from realizing their human right to modern contraception and reproductive health. But great examples and interventions from around the world show what can be done to accelerate access and break down existing barriers. Critical to progress is taking action across sectors and at all levels. This policy brief looks at the good examples and shows what is needed to secure proper and voluntary contraception and reproductive health services for all girls and women.

(Updated in 2020)

French Policy Brief: Download PDF