Family planning in contermporary reproductive health and rights

Abstract

Family planning is re-emerging as a foremost contemporary global reproductive health issue largely on account of its implication to world's population dynamics and it's perceived influence on several aspects of human development, most of which are linked with the economy. It refers to the control of world population in relation to the available food and economic resources. Despite its significance to human development it remains elucive to many women especially in developing countries. Family planning has profound sexual and reproductive rights implications which have been recognised over the years at several international conferences. Access to family planning is a major approach to maternal mortality reduction. Social and political factors, such as religion and politically-motivated funding restrictions for family planning services, negatively impact on availability and accessibility of such services, with often devastating effects to the most vulnerable and least privileged women,
especially in underdeveloped countries. Family planning and its continued development is the collective responsibility of every individual, country, or organization. Key strategies to promote family planning include domestication of provisions of international conventions on family planning into state laws, and ensuring their implementation; development of community friendly family planning services; establishment of effective family planning commodities logistics management system; emphasising on the family planning needs of special groups such as adolescents, and members of some religious denominations; and the training of family planning counsellors and assistants.