NEW YORK, 24 September 2024 – As part of the global effort to secure sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all, governments and philanthropies have committed approximately $350 million USD in new investments to expand access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services. 

Healthy women are the foundation of healthy families, vibrant communities, and prosperous economies and demand for SRH services is growing globally. Between 2023 and 2035, the number of people in low- and middle-income countries using modern contraceptives is predicted to increase by 95.4 million and annual births will increase by 3.29 million. Yet, a significant financing gap for contraceptives and lifesaving maternal health medicines – reaching at least US$1.5 billion in the world’s poorest countries alone by 2030 – threatens to derail hard-earned progress. Today, only 57 per cent of women are able to make their own decisions about their SRHR—a lack of autonomy that can put women’s lives at risk, rob them of opportunities, and foster an intergenerational cycle of poverty.

Together, the landmark commitments announced today on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — ranging from countries committing domestic resources for reproductive health supplies to donor governments pledging funds to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership and new commitments from private sector and foundation partners — will help transform the lives of women and girls in 54 countries.

“Investing in reproductive health supplies is a ‘best buy’ for development, empowering women, improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, and uplifting economies,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency. “The significant new resources that governments and philanthropies are committing to are a lifeline for millions of women, who can now enjoy reproductive freedom and the power of choice. Together, we must close the funding gap for reproductive health commodities so that every woman, everywhere, can exercise her fundamental rights.”

The contributions to UNFPA alone have the potential to reach more than 28 million people with reproductive health care, prevent more than 8 million unintended pregnancies, avert more than 2 million unsafe abortions, and save the lives of up to 9,000 women and girls.

Domestic financing commitments include:

• The Kyrgyz Republic announced US$119,000 to domestic resources for family planning commodities.
• The Republic of Madagascar announced a US$15 million government contribution to procure quality-assured contraceptives and maternal health medicines through UNFPA.
• Nepal announced a US$600,000 government contribution to purchase quality-assured contraceptives.

Financing commitments from international donors include: 

• The Government of Canada announced US$84 million commitment to SRHR projects.
• The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) announced a US$100 million commitment to co-fund the WISH/Step-Up (Women’s Integrated Sexual Health) platform, strengthening donor coordination on funding access to SRH choices for communities in the Sahel and Democratic Republic of Congo.
• The Kingdom of the Netherlands committed to a multi-annual partnership.
• Norway announced a US$12.3 million commitment to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership over 2 years.
• The Government of Spain announced a US$18 million commitment to UNFPA.

Other commitments include:

• The European Union and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationannounced a partnership to design new innovative financing mechanisms to expand contraceptive and SRH access for women in low- and middle-income countries.
• As a catalytic in-kind investment, HELP Logistics (Kühne Foundation) committed to bringing their expertise to UNFPA’s supply chain strengthening activities to help ensure SRH services reach those who need them most.

A Smart Investment for Health, Prosperity, and Sustainable Development

“When we invest in healthy women, we invest in a healthy world,” said Dr. Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation. “Family planning is a proven, high-impact intervention that not only saves lives but also fuels economic growth, makes societies more resilient, and advances gender equality. Investing in family planning can help unlock a brighter, more sustainable future for us all.”

Increasing sexual and reproductive health financing pays off.  Globally, every US$1 invested in family planning yields more than US$8 in benefits for families and societies. Addressing the women’s health gap – in which they currently spend 25 per cent more of their lives in poor health compared to men – will boost the global economy by US$1 trillion by 2040. That amounts to an increase in per capita GDP of nearly 2 per cent every year.

A World Made Possible by Family Planning 

Furthering the impact of today’s domestic financing announcements, the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, and Nepal have ongoing commitments under FP2030 to expand access to family planning. FP2030 – a global partnership dedicated to putting family planning at the centre of global health, development, and gender equality – premiered a new video at the UN General Assembly featuring Nigerian football star Asisat Oshoala and former US Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star and American business owner Renee Montgomery speaking to all that has been made possible by continued investments in family planning and SRH.

“So much of our world has been made possible by family planning. By enabling more women to shape their lives and futures, family planning has helped women to finish their education, join the workforce, ascend to leadership positions, and achieve their dreams,” said Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030. “The commitments made to family planning and sexual and reproductive health today will create limitless possibilities for women, for families, and for our collective future.”

Investing in Family Planning and Sexual and Reproductive Health is Investing in the Future

Today’s commitments represent a critical step towards ensuring universal access to SRH services. While the work is far from over, these commitments get us closer to closing the current and expanding financing gap.

“There is no escaping the reality: even with the important pledges today, we still need to do more to ensure all women and girls have access to life-saving family planning when they want it,” said Sir Chris Hohn, Founder and Chair of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. “The shameful gap in funding for commodities and services must be met by strong domestic leadership – and sustained donor funding in service to country priorities. CIFF’s US$100 million investment in the WISH platform, on top of our US$100 million investment last year to end the commodity financing gap, is a demonstration of our commitment to prioritizing country-led solutions to ensure more women and girls can choose their futures.”

By unlocking sustainable financing and recharging political will for SRH, we can secure a healthier, more equitable world for future generations.