Family Planning

The foundation’s Family Planning team works to ensure that women and girls in low- and middle-income countries can access the contraceptives and family planning information they want and thus exercise their right to decide whether to have children and, if so, when and how many.

In the countries in which we work across South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, we work closely with local partners to ensure that efforts to increase access to family planning services are informed by better data, are tailored to communities, and are integrated into primary health care systems.

We also invest in new and innovative approaches to bring women and girls the information, services, and contraceptive products that enable them to manage their own reproductive health.

Finally, we are committed to expanding the pool of donors in this area to generate more sustainable family planning funding.

The case for closing the gap in modern contraception use is clear: When women and girls have access to contraceptives and care that enable them to make informed reproductive decisions, they are more empowered to live their lives as they—not others—choose. More girls can go to school, more women can work outside the home, and more newborns can thrive and have a chance at a productive future.

Enabling women and girls to be agents of their own health is crucial to their ability to reach their full potential. To do this, we need to trust women and girls to make the decisions that are right for them and ensure access to the services and products that align with their preferences—ones that are affordable, convenient, and respectful. This also requires improving how family planning services are delivered and improving outdated and overstretched health systems.

Achieving a more prosperous and healthy world starts with ensuring that women and girls across the globe can lead the lives they aspire to and can plan for the families they want.