Imagine a world where men bear the burden of family planning but lack the power to make decisions about it; a world in which the societal expectation to be fathers and husbands overrides their human rights. This dystopian scenario is the reality for millions of girls and women globally.
Access to sexual and reproductive health for all is a right. However, an estimated 218 million women and girls around the world have an unmet need for modern contraception owing to a socio-cultural norms and stigma, poor policy implementation and enforcement of detrimental policies that deny women the right to choose—all of which have been normalized. In Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 25% of women in need of contraception did not have access to modern family planning methods as of 2020. Yet, data shows why modern contraceptive access accelerates women’s economic power, reduces maternal mortality and promotes a holistic development agenda.
Factors such as age, literacy and economic freedom can increase opportunity costs that hinder the uptake of modern family planning methods. Across Africa, culture and religious beliefs within patriarchal systems that equate women’s worth to their ability to bear children have permeated our health systems, contributing greatly to inadequate investment in family planning despite many governments accelerating universal health coverage agendas. While it would cost US$22.50 per capita per year to meet all women’s reproductive health needs, African countries currently spend an average of US$6 per capita per year—about US$7.8 billion annually—leaving wide gaps in the provision and quality of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care.
The lack of access to SRH services not only upholds the existing imbalance of power between the sexes that violates women’s right to health, education, and economic opportunity; in instances where it results in high-risk pregnancy, unsafe abortion, gender-based violence and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, this lack of investment also violates women’s right to healthy, productive and just lives.
Family planning is crucial for advancing global health equity, achieving gender equality and supporting sustainable and equitable development. It is the silent driving force behind many opportunities and advancements that we enjoy today.
Every woman should have the right to decide if, when to have children, how many children to have, and how to space them. This determines the future trajectory of their careers and economic power. Access to modern contraception not only gives people great control over their reproductive lives, it can dramatically reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions and improve health outcomes by lowering maternal and child mortality. Therefore, denying women this choice strips them of their freedom, dignity and fundamental rights–and exposes them to grave risk.
In countries that lack universal access to rights-based family planning, increasing access to quality, affordable, and acceptable reproductive health services can unlock countless opportunities and transform communities, as we have seen from those who invested for a demographic dividend. Yet many countries have missed that boat. When women have more information and a greater say in their reproductive choices, they are more empowered to enter and remain in the workforce, therefore reducing the dependent population and lowering unemployment. Women’s reproductive power translates to economic power, strengthening a country’s development.
Family planning is not just a health intervention; it can be a strategic development tool for African countries. Every $1 invested in women’s health yields $8 in benefits for families and communities. Such high returns are key to building stronger, more resilient economies and communities.
Equally, increasing men's understanding and use of family planning methods can reduce barriers for women, support equality within families and communities, improve health outcomes, and reduce household healthcare expenditures, freeing up funds for education, savings, and investment.
Those who hide behind culture, religion and patriarchal structures to deny equitable access to family planning ignore its consequences: poverty driven by unsustainable population growth, poor health outcomes and high healthcare costs, and overburdened health and social protection systems that cannot meet the needs of the populations they are meant to serve.
Funding commitments made at UNGA 2024 saw governments and philanthropies pledge US$350 million to expand access to family planning. These efforts aim to reach 28 million people in 54 countries, prevent 8 million unintended pregnancies, avert 2 million unsafe abortions, and save thousands of lives. Leaders also endorsed the Pact for the Future, calling for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and health coverage—a promise we hope holds true.
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These pledges reignited hope for women and girls, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Our appeal is for governments in Africa to promulgate policies that advance access to contraception for all people who need them, including sexually active adolescents. In addition, we appeal to the ministries of finance to fund this important development initiative, reducing reliance on donors for such an important initiative.
Urgent action is needed to realize equitable access to modern contraception and other SRH services. Beyond the donor pledges, governments also have a responsibility to do right by Africa’s women and girls by upholding their commitments to invest in and protect the right to family planning as a social and economic imperative. The private sector, civil society and philanthropy community must also play their part by holding governments accountable to these commitments, which will empower millions of women and girls to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, with tangible benefits.
By putting the power of choice in their hands, we can give something back to the millions of women and girls living in a world that asks them to give so much of themselves but offers little in return.
