More than 250 million women worldwide would like to be using modern contraceptives but are not. This figure is particularly egregious if we consider the leaps in scientific innovation and increase in supplies of safe and effective contraception the world has seen in recent years.
Too often, policymakers treat family planning as optional or secondary to other public health work. In fact, the proportion of women whose need for family planning has been satisfied by modern methods increased by only 2% in 10 years.
Today, half of all pregnancies are unintended, in part due to stigma, low levels of trust, and a lack of information. And many groups, including youth, unmarried people, and LGBTQI+ individuals, too often find they cannot legally obtain contraceptive methods at all.
About the author
Dr. Julitta Onabanjo
Dr. Julitta Onabanjo is the director of the technical division of the UNFPA headquarters. Dr. Julitta took up this position in August 2021, bringing to the role her over 24 years of experience. Prior to her current position, Julitta was director of UNFPA's East and Southern Africa region, where her leadership contributed immensely to resource mobilization efforts, partnership development, and strengthening with regional groups, aligning the countries of the region behind a common African position on ICPD25.
