Abstract
Evidence demonstrates how rights-based family planning (FP) brings transformational benefits to women, families, communities and countries. Investing in FP is not only a human rights issue, but also a key catalytic factor for countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable and equitable access to FP has a tremendous socioeconomic impact and boosts synergistic efforts to reduce poverty, achieve food security and improved nutrition, save lives and improve health and well-being, improve women’s and girls’ education, advance gender equality and empowerment, mitigate the effects of access to water and sanitation, reduce the impact on health of climate change, and contribute to economic growth and social inclusion. Nevertheless, while the benefits are realized across many other sectors, the burden of financing for FP is born predominantly by the health sector. Although there have been several attempts to integrate FP into other sectors’ initiatives, the results have not yet been fully systematized or scaled up. This open letter calls for a new approach to broaden the attention of different sectors to invest in FP as a catalytic intervention to achieve the SDGs. Using the UNFPA Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Financing for Family Planning, we will highlight elements to be considered by development actors in shaping national, regional and global actions. By exploring new funding sources and mechanisms to increase investments in FP, maximizing efficiency, and overall, revamping FP beyond the health sector, we intend to expand the reach of the discussions across non-traditional actors, underscoring the need to increase efforts towards guaranteeing universal health access for all as a main contributor to achieve the 2030 agenda. Further, we will detail experiences of how UNFPA and development partners have incorporated innovative approaches to secure sustainable financing for FP at the national level providing concrete examples on how to proceed in this area.
Highlights
Evidence demonstrates how rights-based family planning (FP) brings transformational benefits to women, families, communities and countries
In a recent analysis developed by HP+ using the SDG modelling tool in Malawi, projected scenarios demonstrated that: “If Malawi surpasses its family planning goal, the number of people living below the poverty line could shrink by 25 per cent, food insecurity could decrease by half, and income growth rate could increase by 77 per cent, among other beneficial outcomes, boosting the country’s prospects for achieving the SDGs”12
Between 2002 and 2009, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) increased from 43.3 per cent to 54.1 per cent, and nearly doubled from 23.8 per cent to 40.2 per cent for indigenous women; and unmet need for FP fell from 27 per cent to 20.8 per cent in the same period
Summary
Sustained and equitable access to FP has a tremendous socioeconomic impact and boosts synergistic efforts to reduce poverty; achieve food security and improved nutrition, save lives and improve health and well-being, improve women’s and girls’ education, advance gender equality and empowerment, mitigate effects on access to water and sanitation, reduce climate change impact on health and contribute to economic growth and social inclusion, among other benefits. Advocacy and policy changes that prioritize FP and expand the funding sources for future investment across new and different actors, including the private sector are urgent and critical. Evidence-based decision-making supported by cost–benefit analysis, business cases, policy briefs etc. Understanding the fiscal space opportunities, assessing country readiness and applying a tailored long-term transition plan is important in defining clear goals and secure stable and clear donor support to the process. Maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of FP programmes through a health system strengthening approach is indispensable. Building and strengthening local capacities to manage effective FP programmes in an efficient way is key to sustain investments over the years. Even after a country has successfully transitioned to a sustainable approach, it is important to track progress over the years to maintain the gains and secure efficiency in budgetary execution. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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