Family Planning and the

Millennium Development Goals

Global FP Perceptions

• Global FP is not an end in itself

• FP is a broad range of RH services, not just
contraception
• FP is one of various means to improve health
and quality of life
• Providing evidence of FP impact on health and
development goals is crucial
Millennium Development Goals:
What Are They?
• 2000-2015 targets for development
• Commitments by 181 UN nations
• Priorities for global funders
• Opportunities for multinational
organizations
Millennium Development Goals

1. End Poverty and Hunger

2. Universal Education
3. Gender Equality
4. Child Health
5. Maternal Health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS
7. Environmental Sustainability
8. Global Partnerships
Beyond the MDGs

• Enhance National Security

• Defuse Explosive Societies

• Optimize Financial Resources

FP and MDGs

End Hunger
Support and Poverty Increase
Global Education
Partnerships

Save the
Environment FP Empower
Women

Decrease Improve
Improve Infant
HIV/AIDS
Maternal Health
Health
The New Population Bomb
Changing Demographic Composition and Distribution

• Shift in “demographic weight” from higher to

lower-resource countries

• Aging of higher-resource countries

• Youth bulge in lower-resource countries

• Urbanization of lower-resource countries

Source: Goldstone (2010)

FP Stabilizes Societies

“High birth rates...produced a common

problem ― a large, steadily increasing
population of young men without any
reasonable expectation of suitable or
steady employment ― a sure
prescription for social turbulence.”

Source: The 9/11 Commission Report (2004)

The “Youth Bulge” Impact

• Disproportionate levels of young adults

associated with political volatility and violence
• Countries with youthful age structure slow to
become stable democracies ─ Middle East,
Africa
• Democratic countries with high proportion of
youth are less stable ─ Latin/South America

Source: Cincotta (2009)

 FP Saves Dollars

• Preventing unintended pregnancies is less

expensive than treating maternal/ infant
complications of pregnancy
• Longer acting contraceptive methods are the
most cost-effective
• Up to $31 can be saved for every dollar spent
on FP (UNFPA)
Conclusion
• Investing in global FP programs will help
achieve all 8 MDGs
• Strengthening global FP programs contributes
to integrated, multisectoral development
• Investing in global FP programs will optimize
financial resources