No Matter When or Where: Addressing the Need for Continuous Family Planning Services During Shocks and Stressors

Key Messages

• Global progress on meeting family planning (FP) needs is threatened by worsening, intersecting crises that disrupt health systems and disproportionately affect women, girls, and historically marginalized people. No country is immune to climate change risks or infectious disease outbreaks, and the number, intensity, and impacts of conflicts are growing.

• People need continuous access to essential health services, including FP services. Evidence demonstrates robust demand for FP services during and after diverse crises. Yet FP availability, access, and quality remain limited and uneven during crises. Disruptions in FP services undercut the efficacy of health systems and policies and derail advancements made during stable times.

• Emergency preparedness facilitates quicker access to services when crises occur and saves money. However, preparing for continuous essential health services, including FP, is overlooked and deprioritized in existing funding streams and implementation mechanisms. We provide recommendations for global, national, and local partners–including governments, donors, and development and humanitarian agencies–to strengthen emergency preparedness for FP. Ensuring ongoing FP services during shocks and stressors saves lives, fulfills human rights, and advances health care for all.