Repositioning Family Planning Programmes in South Asia

Background

Well-planned family planning (FP) policies and programmes in South Asian countries contributed to considerable increase in contraceptive use and a significant reduction in fertility. However, over the past decade, the programmes have suffered due to erosion in political will and commitment.

Objectives and Design

This paper reviews the status of FP programmes, and looks at changes in policies and strategies
to reposition FP programmes. The study uses data from the DHSs and other relevant documents.


Findings

The CPR ranges from 22% in Afghanistan to around 60% in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. However, a point of concern relates to the slowing down in the rate of increase in CPR since mid-1990s.

Family planning programmes face several challenges in their efforts to raise contraceptive use: (i) lack of political will and commitment, (ii) low CPR among adolescents, (iii) regional variations in CPR, (iv) changes in method mix, (v) high discontinuation rate, and (vi) organizational problems.

The positive development is a renewed recognition among governments in South Asian countries of the need to reposition FP as part of the overall development agenda. Accordingly, several policies and strategies have been adopted.


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