Family planning summit statement

Responding to the announcement by the Secretary of State for International Development, Priti Patel, of increased support for family planning services, Tanya Barron, CEO of Plan International UK, said:

“We welcome the UK’s continued commitment today in addressing this fundamental health and human rights issue into the future. The UK can be proud of its global leadership for women and girls across the world.

“Good quality sexual and reproductive health services – including family planning  - play a fundamental role in ensuring that girls and women can make their own choices, fulfil their potential and live free from harm and abuse.

“The most effective approach balances spending on comprehensive, universal sexual and reproductive health services and supplies with longer-term efforts to tackle the stigma and taboos that prevent younger women, and adolescent girls in particular, from being able to make their own informed choices.  Family planning services will fail unless they address these underlying, long-term challenges head on.

“We look forward to working with DFID in the coming years to help bring about sexual and reproductive health services for all women and girls that leave no one behind.”