Presented at the International Conference on Family Planning 2011

1. Achieving Equity in Family Planning:
Getting Beyond the Rhetoric
Session 1.2.11
Karen Foreit1, Janine Barden-O'Fallon2, Jessica Dietrich3,
Cheikh Seck4, Suneeta Sharma1
1Futures Group, USA
2University of North Carolina, USA
3International Planned Parenthood Federation WHR, USA
4Initiative Senegalaise de Sante Urbaine, Senegal
Achieving Equity in Family Planning

2. Why equity?
 Neglected topic in family planning
 Inequities in access to services violate
principles of human rights
 May prevent countries from reaching health
and development goals
Achieving Equity in Family Planning

3. What is an equity approach?
 Addresses differences in access to and use of
quality family planning services that are:
o Unwanted and avoidable
o Unfair and unjust
 Focuses on sub-groups, not the general
population
 Targets the most disadvantaged
Achieving Equity in Family Planning

4. Different situations require different
approaches
Kenya 2008
60%
% Modern Method Use
50%
40% Strategic options:
30%
20%  Focus on the poorest of
10%
0% the rural poor
Urban
Rural
Achieving Equity in Family Planning

5. Different situations require different
approaches
DR Congo 2007
60%
% Modern Method Use
50% Urban
40% Rural
Strategic options:
30%
20%  Improve family planning
10%
0% nation-wide
 Give special attention to
rural areas
 May be too soon for a
poverty focus
Achieving Equity in Family Planning

6. Our panel: research to practice
 Disentangling poverty and place of residence
 Increasing coverage of vulnerable populations
in Bolivia
 Designing interventions for urban poor in
Senegal
 Increasing public resources for health in
poorest states of India
Achieving Equity in Family Planning