1 in 2 women using modern contraception in Africa, says FP2020 report

Nearly half of all new users of modern contraceptives are in Africa, the latest report by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) reveals. That’s in addition to the more than 309 million women and girls using modern methods of contraception in the 69 countries where the FP2020 focuses. It means 38.8 million more women and girls are […]

Nearly half of all new users of modern contraceptives are in Africa, the latest report by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) reveals.

That’s in addition to the more than 309 million women and girls using modern methods of contraception in the 69 countries where the FP2020 focuses.

It means 38.8 million more women and girls are using modern contraception since 2012 when FP2020 was launched.

FP2020 is a global partnership that supports the rights of women and girls to decide, freely, and for themselves, whether, when, and how many children they want to have.

It aims to enable up to 120 million additional women and girls in the world’s poorest countries use modern contraceptives by 2020.

The new report “FP2020: The Way Ahead” shows use of modern contraception in the focus countries since between July 2017 and July 2017 has helped prevent 84 million unintended pregnancies, 26 million unsafe abortions, and 125,000 maternal deaths.

Biggest growth

As of July 2017, 16 million additional women and girls were using a modern method of contraception in the FP2020 countries in Africa as compared to 2012, the report found.

In Eastern and Southern Africa, unmet need for modern methods has dropped by more than 3 percentage points since 2012 – by far the largest change of any FP2020 region.

At least 21.9 million women and girls considered “additional users” are in Aisa. Some 38 in 100 women of reproductive age use a modern method this year, according to estimates.

Despite a high rate of contraception use, the continent includes four of the five most populous countries—India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Progress in those countries has a large influence on the total number of additional users.

Shaping lives

“FP2020 is a country-led movement to empower women and girls by investing in rights-based family planning. We believe that every woman and girl must be empowered to shape her own life,” explains Beth Schlachter, executive director of FP2020.

“Family planning is both a basic right and a life-changing, transformational health service with the potential to accelerate progress across all our development goals.”

In the last five years, FP2020 has partnerships to ensure health systems in focus countries are better aligned to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of women and girls.

 “The family planning community is united, resilient, and ready to meet the future,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, and co-chair of the FP2020 Reference Group.

“There may be uncertainties on the horizon, but our community’s dedication to women and girls is stronger than ever.”

In July, 25 new partners made FP2020 commitments for the first time, including Chad, Haiti, and South Sudan.

Shifting priorities of donors supporting family planning, including the United States, has created uncertain environment for family planning and broader health programs in developing countries around the world, the report notes.

“For all of us who believe that rights-based family planning is fundamental to achieving a healthier, more prosperous, just and equitable world, these are uncertain times,” said Schlachter.

Methods in flux

The report helps countries measure progress in family planning and access data in all 69 focus countries.

It reveals injectables are the most common contraceptive method in use in 28 of the focus countries, followed by pills in 16 countries, condoms in 9 countries, and IUDs in eight countries.

Implants and injectables are continuing to increase in prevalence.

Women being able to choose when to give birth and how many children they want has ripple effect on saving lives and improving health to strengthening economies, transforming societies, and lifting entire countries out of poverty.

“For FP2020, the way ahead is clear: We are going to keep a sharp focus on rights, accountability, the financing landscape, and the evolving global pathway that links FP2020 progress to universal access to reproductive health by 2030,” explains Dr. Chris Elias, president of global development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and co-chair of the FP2020 Reference Group.

But the report concludes commitment-makers must honour their promises; country governments must do more to provide health care for their citizens; and those citizens must continue to hold public officials to account, if FP2020 is to meet its ambitious goals.