The Role of Family Planning in Global Health and Development

Improving women’s access to family planning resources yields dividends for maternal and neonatal health, educational attainment, HIV prevention, gender equity, and social and economic development. Despite this, over 200 million women lack desired means to plan their family sizes. Evidence for the multifaceted benefits and cost-efficiency of family planning as a development tool will be presented along with data on the consequences of reduced access, particularly for low-income countries.