GNV News, September 29, 2024

On September 24, 2024, as part of a global effort to ensure sexual and reproductive health & rights (SRHR) for all, governments and philanthropic organizations pledged approximately US$350 million in new investments to expand access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services.

Between 2023 and 2035, the number of people using modern contraceptives in low- and middle-income countries is projected to increase by 95.4 million, and the number of births per year to increase by 3.29 million. However, the funding shortfall for contraceptives and maternal health medicines is substantial, and there are concerns that in the world’s poorest countries alone the gap could reach at least US$1.5 billion by 2030. Furthermore, currently fewer than 60% of women are able to make their own decisions regarding SRHR. To address the life-threatening risks to women stemming from a lack of autonomy, break intergenerational poverty, expand educational opportunities and empower women—as well as to support sustainable population growth and the economic development of each country—demand for investment in reproductive health is rising.

Learn more about the state of sexual and reproductive health and rights and women → “Sex and Reproduction: Can Women Decide for Themselves?”

Learn about women’s health in pregnancy and childbirth through a case study → “Childbirth in the Himalayas: What Is Nepal’s ‘Success Story’?”

Learn about feminist movements in Latin America → “The Expansion of Feminist Movements in Latin America”

Women receiving checkups with their newborns, Tanzania (Photo: John Rae/The Global Financing Facility / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])