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A new FP2030’s 2022 Measurement Report released at the International Conference on Family Planning says that in the last year alone, women’s use of contraception in low- and lower-middle-income countries has averted more than 141 million unintended pregnancies, 29 million unsafe abortions and almost 150,000 maternal deaths.
The new data released at a press briefing by the International Conference on Family Planning was accompanied by commitments from governments, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the announcement of a historic new five-year pledge to FP2030 of US$15 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the report, the use of modern contraception is soaring around the world, with an estimated 371 million women of reproductive age in low- and lower-middle-income countries now using a modern method of family planning—87 million more than just a decade ago.
In addition, more women in low- and lower-middle-income countries are using modern family planning methods than ever before, with one in three women of reproductive age in low- and lower-middle-income countries today now choosing to use modern contraception.
It added that contraceptive prevalence has steadily increased in these countries, but in 14 countries, the number of contraceptive users has doubled. The sharpest growth has been in sub-Saharan Africa.
Today, for example, implants are the most used method in 10 countries and the second most common method in another 14 countries. This represents a stark contrast with the method mix a decade ago when implants were not as widely available.
The FP2030 report also suggests that despite the unprecedented strain COVID-19 placed on national health systems and global supply chains, and throughout restrictive lockdowns, record numbers of people around the world continued to seek out and use family planning products and services.
Data released shows that bilateral donor funding totalled approximately US$1.4 billion in 2021: essentially flat compared to 2020, but substantially lower than the peak achieved in 2019 (US$1.52 billion). Given current financial instability and inflationary trends around the world, there could be further funding cuts in the future.
Executive director of FP2030, Dr Samukeliso Dube, said that the findings provided a message for global leaders, to begin with, a commitment to invest in family planning while attending other major events with the goals of addressing other issues like climate change, inequality, or economic development.
Dr Dube declared: “The benefits of family planning are enormous, and have a multiplier effect. Family planning is the key to reducing maternal deaths; it is the difference between finishing high school and entering into early marriage and parenthood, and it can unlock a woman’s economic survival and prosperity.
“Failing to adequately fund family planning efforts would be a missed opportunity for millions of women. We need not only to hold the line but also to secure new funding to accommodate the surge in demand for family planning.
“To ensure that the world stays on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030—including the intersecting goals of gender equality, health, and prosperity—investments in family planning must be safeguarded and strengthened.”
“As more and more young people enter their reproductive years, the demand for family planning services will continue to grow. This rising demand must be met by adequate funding and increased supply. The hard-won gains of the last 10 years could slip away if we don’t act now.”
Less than two years after the FP2030 global partnership was launched, 24 governments and 78 non-governmental actors have now made a public financial, policy or programmatic pledge to advance rights-based family planning, vowing to expand access to voluntary, rights-based contraception.
Nigeria, including 18 other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, has also finalized its FP2030 commitments. These commitments share many common priorities, including improving service delivery for young people, increasing domestic financing, scaling up postpartum family planning and strengthening supply chains.
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