Family Planning in the Post-2015 Agenda – Meeting Demand for Family Planning within a Generation: Prospects and Programmatic Implications at the Country-Level

Yoonjoung Choi, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Madeleine Short Fabic, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Sennen Hounton, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Desmond Koroma, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Expanding access to family planning has been a key objective for health and development, as most recently articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related post-2015 agenda setting discussions. To track progress of the family planning component of SDGs, a measure (percent demand for family planning satisfied with modern contraceptive methods) and benchmark (at least 75% by 2030 in all countries) have been proposed. To best direct resources and guide strategic planning, it is critical to understand prospects at the country-level for achieving this benchmark. Our study objective is to understand country-level prospects for meeting the proposed SDG benchmark, using data from selected 63 countries. Preliminary results show, on average, doubling of currently projected progress is needed to achieve benchmark. Further comparison to historic experience suggests that countries and donor communities need to develop strategies to realize such ambitious accelerated progress, especially in West Africa.