Economic Policy and the Provision of Family Planning in Developing Countries

Abstract

Despite some progress, wide gaps remain in the provision of family planning and reproductive health services in developing countries. As governments debate how to provide such services, this commentary considers general economic motivation, what principles are being implemented in practice, and why government policy may not align with what economic analysis suggests. Case studies from three developing countries—Uganda, Haiti, and the Philippines—are presented in an attempt to bridge gaps between economic analysis, current policy, and implementation, and examine whether economic concepts are being considered in current policy responses. Following this preliminary review, all three countries appear to value economic concepts that reinforce the government's role in provision of family planning, but that does not necessarily correlate to effective policy implementation or access to services. More broadly, this consideration of economic policy and the provision of family planning in three developing countries suggests that economic policy can complement rights‐based policy arguments.