Family Planning For Sustainable Development

Family planning is a centerpiece for sustainable development. Investing in family planning addresses poverty, maternal and child health, gender equity and human rights. Communities benefit from better health for women and children, better attendance and performance in schools, improved economic conditions and lower healthcare cost.

Family planning is a centerpiece for sustainable development. Investing in family planning addresses poverty, maternal and child health, gender equity and human rights. Communities benefit from better health for women and children, better attendance and performance in schools, improved economic conditions and lower healthcare cost.

However, much remains to be done before the right to self-determined family planning is implemented worldwide. 214 million women of reproductive age in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method.

Family planning is an important step toward breaking the cycle of poverty – both for women and their families and for the countries where they live. We can help initiate sustainable development – by improving people's quality of life, investing in education, securing resources for the entire population, protecting the environment.

For 50 years now, Bayer has been working as part of a network of public and private partners to enable women and girls to assert their right to self-determined family planning worldwide. In recognition of this long-standing commitment, we were accepted in 2007 as a member of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) – as the first pharmaceutical company.

Three essential pillars

Success in the promotion of family planning stems from three main pillars: availability, affordability and awareness.