Source: All Africa
Women and girls today, more than ever before, are using modern contraceptives to delay or avoid a pregnancy, says a report released on Thursday by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020).

According to the report, an unprecedented 290.6 million women and girls in the world's poorest countries are now able to decide for themselves whether and when to get pregnant. This is an increase of 24.4 million from the time of the London Summit. In 2012, the global community met in London and set an ambitious goal and made a promise to 120 million women and girls that by 2020, they would have access to family planning services and contraceptives if they wanted it.

"Since we made that promise, millions of unintended pregnancies have been avoided and thousands of lives saved. But the hard truth is, that to keep it, we must do more, and we must act now." Said Belinda Gates, the Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Although FP2020 has reached 24.4 million women and girls with lifesaving contraceptives, that's 10 million fewer than the number anticipated to have been reached by this time.

"If we continue at this rate, we risk missing our goal and leaving millions of women and girls without the care and services they need and deserve," reads a statement by FP2020.

The good news however, is that "the global partnership that we have built together has given us an incredibly strong foundation for the work ahead. Countries, donors and partners are connecting than ever before to expand existing programmes and strategise on new directions," reads a FP2020 statement.

To ensure no woman or girl is left out, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a committed partner of FP2020 announced on Thursday that it will invest an additional $120 million in family planning over the next three years- a 25 per cent increase on it's current family planning funding.

"With five years to go, the global community has a narrow yet critical window of opportunity to bring progress back on track. It is the policy, programme and budget decisions made now that will determine whether we keep our promise to 120 million women," reads a statement by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

According to the foundation, the additional funding will focus on improving the quality of services and the range of contraceptive options that women receive. Another focus will be on reaching the most marginalized with contraceptives and services, especially the urban poor and supporting the work of local advocates who are making the case for budget, policies and programmes that ensure more women and girls can access contraceptives.

The Gates Foundation will also invest in understanding the needs of young people and the challenges that they face in accessing health services.

"We have it in our power to give every woman, every girl, everywhere the chance to not just survive but thrive; to lead healthy, prosperous lives; to empower them to ultimately transform their lives," said Melinda Gates.

Access to family planning information and contraceptives can change lives. Enabling women to make informed decisions about whether and when to have children, reduces unintended pregnancies as well as maternal and newborn deaths. It also increases educational and economic opportunities for women and leads to healthier families and communities. Voluntary family planning is one of the most cost-effective investments a country can make in its future.

In Tanzania, 27 per cent of married women are using modern contraceptive methods and 25 per cent who would like to delay a pregnancy have no access to modern contraceptive methods.