Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...

<strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> Call for<strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of Unmet Needfor <strong>Family</strong> <strong>Plann<strong>in</strong>g</strong>Preamble1. The impact of well-planned family plann<strong>in</strong>g policies<strong>and</strong> programmes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> regionis evident from <strong>the</strong> significant reductions <strong>in</strong> fertility,<strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> contraceptive use <strong>and</strong> decreases <strong>in</strong> unmetneed for contraception <strong>in</strong> most countries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> regionover <strong>the</strong> past 20 years. However, <strong>in</strong> some countries,despite hav<strong>in</strong>g national family plann<strong>in</strong>g programmes,contraceptive prevalence rates have stagnated <strong>and</strong>unmet need for family plann<strong>in</strong>g has <strong>in</strong>creased, due topoor access to services, ongo<strong>in</strong>g conflict, <strong>and</strong> significantreligious <strong>and</strong> socio-cultural <strong>in</strong>fluences. The high levelsof term<strong>in</strong>ation of pregnancies signify a high unmetneed for contraception <strong>and</strong> unsafe abortions lead tomaternal deaths.2. Even <strong>in</strong> countries with lowered fertility rates, variations<strong>in</strong> unmet need for family plann<strong>in</strong>g exists acrosscommunities <strong>and</strong> needs to be addressed. Disparitiesbetween <strong>the</strong> lowest <strong>and</strong> highest economic qu<strong>in</strong>tileswith regard to total fertility, contraceptive use <strong>and</strong>unmet need are significant <strong>in</strong> most countries.3. While many countries, particularly <strong>in</strong> South-east <strong>Asia</strong>,are on track to achieve a majority of <strong>the</strong> MillenniumDevelopment Goal (MDG) targets, a significantnumber are lagg<strong>in</strong>g beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> achiev<strong>in</strong>g health-relatedMDGs. The possibility of achiev<strong>in</strong>g both targets ofMDG 5 (a: reduce maternal mortality <strong>and</strong> b: achieveuniversal access to reproductive health services) <strong>in</strong> somecountries of <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> is small. Susta<strong>in</strong>ablecross-sectoral family plann<strong>in</strong>g related policies <strong>and</strong>programmes are needed given <strong>the</strong> lack of recognitionof <strong>the</strong> importance of family plann<strong>in</strong>g to economic <strong>and</strong>social development <strong>and</strong> poverty reduction as well as<strong>the</strong> lack of women’s empowerment.4. Recent analysis of countries <strong>in</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong>offers strong evidence that meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> need for familyplann<strong>in</strong>g can accelerate <strong>the</strong> achievement of <strong>the</strong> MDGs.Invest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> family plann<strong>in</strong>g alone can contributeto reduc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> costs of achiev<strong>in</strong>g MDG targets foreducation, child mortality, maternal mortality <strong>and</strong>environmental susta<strong>in</strong>ability. In addition, provid<strong>in</strong>gfamily plann<strong>in</strong>g methods for women who are HIVpositive <strong>and</strong> want to use family plann<strong>in</strong>g methods,will reduce costs related to prevent<strong>in</strong>g mo<strong>the</strong>r-to-childtransmission of HIV <strong>and</strong> support of orphans.5. Although family plann<strong>in</strong>g is an <strong>in</strong>tegral part of <strong>the</strong>agenda agreed at <strong>the</strong> 1994 <strong>International</strong> Conferenceon Population <strong>and</strong> Development (ICPD), <strong>in</strong>vestments<strong>in</strong> family plann<strong>in</strong>g by many countries <strong>and</strong> donorshave decl<strong>in</strong>ed drastically, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> stagnation ofprogramme achievements.6. The high proportion of young people enter<strong>in</strong>greproductive age groups, <strong>in</strong> many <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong>Isl<strong>and</strong> countries has significant implications forappropriate contraceptive service. The <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gproportion of unmarried young people—a populationgroup whose contraceptive needs are not well met <strong>in</strong>many <strong>Asia</strong>n <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong> countries, <strong>the</strong> low useof contraceptives among married <strong>and</strong> unmarried <strong>and</strong>disturb<strong>in</strong>g rates of abortions signify <strong>the</strong> need forreorient<strong>in</strong>g contraceptive services to those underservedgroups most <strong>in</strong> need. O<strong>the</strong>r groups <strong>in</strong> need of specialattention <strong>in</strong>clude older women, poor <strong>and</strong> uneducatedwomen, <strong>and</strong> migrants.GoalThe goal of <strong>the</strong> “<strong>Asia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> Call for Elim<strong>in</strong>ationof Unmet Need for <strong>Family</strong> <strong>Plann<strong>in</strong>g</strong>” is for countries<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> Region, particularly governments,parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations, civilsociety groups, private sector <strong>and</strong> development partners,to ensure equitable access to quality family plann<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>formation <strong>and</strong> services, irrespective of <strong>the</strong>ir age, maritalstatus, residence, ethnicity or religion <strong>and</strong> thus elim<strong>in</strong>ateunmet need for contraception.Guid<strong>in</strong>g Pr<strong>in</strong>ciplesThe participants of <strong>the</strong> ” <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>Pacific</strong> Regional Consultationon Address<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Challenges for <strong>Family</strong> <strong>Plann<strong>in</strong>g</strong>” were <strong>and</strong>cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be guided by <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g set of pr<strong>in</strong>ciples:Implement<strong>in</strong>g a rights based approach to familyplann<strong>in</strong>g;Address<strong>in</strong>g unmet need for family plann<strong>in</strong>g for allpersons regardless of age, marital status, gender,education, residence, ethnic group, <strong>in</strong>come <strong>and</strong>religion;3