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Contraception & Family Planning

We know contraception means better health, more girls in school, and greater resources for families, communities, and nations.

40%

of pregnancies globally were unintended

88M

unintended

pregnancies occur in low- and middle-income countries each year

257M

women

women in low- and middle-income countries who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and effective family planning methods

In over more than 100 countries and counting, our contraception programs have changed lives

Voluntary contraception helps individuals exercise their basic human right of deciding freely whether, when, and how many children they want to have. We know contraception means better health, more girls in school, and greater resources for families, communities, and nations. 

  • Giving individuals access to a full range of modern contraceptive methods allows them to exercise power over their own lives.
  • Lack of access to quality services or information on contraception leads to unintended pregnancies with grave health risks. 
  • 43% of adolescents have an unmet need for contraception, compared to 24% across all age groups. Teens’ lives depend on reversing this injustice: Complications in pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19.
  • Contraception can do more than prevent pregnancy. Condoms, for example, can prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and HPV, which causes cervical cancer.  

Test your contraception knowledge!

FACT: Contraception saves lives and strengthens our communities. Test your knowledge about the realities of contraceptive access.

Investing in voluntary modern contraception transforms the lives of women, families, communities, and countries. It is a development ‘‘best buy’’ and is key to accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. 

  • We partner with decision-makers to make sure modern contraception is available wherever needed at an affordable cost so people of all ages can choose the method that’s best for them. 
  • We strengthen the capacity of health systems and communities to demand, access, and provide a full range of quality information and services.
  • We work with men, providers, religious and community leaders to eliminate biases and misconceptions that prevent contraceptive use. 

Support contraceptive access.

Support women, strengthen families, and build a healthier future.

We have Contraception & Family Planning Projects in 12 Countries

Darwin Initiative: Pairing Community Conservation Areas with Sustainable Aquaculture in Lake Victoria

The Darwin Initiative: Pairing Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) with Sustainable Aquaculture in Lake Victoria project cultivates a new model for responsible…

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Support for Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar

Improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of Rohingya women and girls in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar.  From…

Never Stop Screening 2.0

Never Stop Screening 2.0 is a digital health intervention excited by Pathfinder in three states of India wherein AI-aided technology…

Merankabandi II (Be Like the Others)

In Burundi’s Kirundo province, Pathfinder’s Merankabandi II project supports marginalized communities to adopt healthy behavior and strengthen their capacity for…

Youth Champions for Climate Resilience in West Africa (YCC)

The Youth Champions for Climate Resilience in West Africa (YCC) project is funded by Fondation CHANEL and implemented by Pathfinder…

FC2 Education and Promotion Project, Africa

The FC2 Education and Promotion Project, Africa is funded by the Female Health Company and implemented by Pathfinder International. Now…

Preventing Child Marriage in Cabo Delgado

Preventing Child Marriage in Cabo Delgado improves the lives and livelihoods of adolescent girls and young women by  reducing child,…

Hands Off II

Hands Off II seeks to reduce all forms of violence against sex workers and violations of their human rights in…

Shaping Adolescent Girls’ and Young Women’s Lives through Improved Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes

The project, which takes place in 12 districts across three provinces—Maputo City, Cabo Delgado, and Maputo provinces—reaches adolescent girls and…

USAID Efficiencies for Clinical HIV Outcomes (ECHO)

In Mozambique, Pathfinder supports the Government of Mozambique to achieve HIV and AIDS epidemic control and establish a sustainable government-led…

Women-Led Climate Resilience (WLCR)

In Egypt, Pathfinder is working together with its partners to establish greener health clinics and communities The Women-Led Climate Resilience…

Strengthening Health Systems to Increase Access to Post-Pregnancy Family Planning (Qadam-Ba-Qadam)

This project seeks to ensure provincial health departments in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan offer quality postpartum and postabortion…

Give women and girls control over their future.

Your support provides the reproductive care women and girls need to thrive.

Donate Now

Featured Publication Resources

Featured Stories

Bangladesh’s Path Forward

It’s been called a success story. But for millions, Bangladesh’s family planning agenda remains unfinished. Here’s a path to close…

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Pathways – Fall 2022: World Contraception Day

At Pathfinder, we know that World Contraception Day is about far more than contraception. It’s about strengthening health systems and…

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World Contraception Day: Celebrating Free Contraception in Côte d’Ivoire

From 2015 to 2020, in my native country of Côte d’Ivoire, modern contraception prevented 2.4 million unintended pregnancies, more than…

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Our Team

Mahbub Alam

Country Director

Ritah Waddimba

Country Director

Ginette Hounkanrin

Ginette Hounkanrin

Country Director