The Global Roadmap to Universal Access to Family Planning: From Cairo to Kampala

Abstract

In 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo, Egypt.¹ It brought forward faith leaders, clinicians, researchers, program managers, and government officials to unite around a common vision: universal access to reproductive health and education. The ICPD focused on girls and women, their economic empowerment, their reproductive rights, and the role of family planning in reducing maternal and child mortality. On January 8, 2010, more than 15 years after this landmark event, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed the United States’ dedication to the “Cairo commitments,” while recognizing that we have not yet reached them.² 

Universal access to family planning is not only one of the Cairo commitments but also key to achieving each of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).^{3, 4} In November 2009 in Kampala, Uganda, the first International Conference on Family Planning addressed years of pent-up demand for evidence on the topic.⁵ More than 1,300 participants from across the globe convened to share the latest advancements in contraceptive technology and the best practices in family planning program implementation. Conference participants left Kampala with a shared sense of responsibility for reinvigorating the global commitment to family planning. As Khama Rogo of the World Bank put it, “We wouldn’t consider a child health program without immunization; how can we think about women’s health without family planning?”⁶ Secretary Clinton’s reaffirmation of the Cairo commitments reminds us that we must act upon lessons learned since Cairo to be able to carry forward the momentum begun in Kampala.  

What did we learn in Kampala and, most importantly, what do we do in the second decade of the new millennium?  Let’s start with what we learned.  Three themes framed much of the dialogue:

• Family Planning and the MDGs:  Rightsbased family planning choices, where individuals are empowered with knowledge and supported to determine their own reproductive intentions, free from coercion, are important to achieving all eight of the Millennium Development Goals.^{3, 4}  
• Evidence-Based Policies:  A comprehensive body of evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of family planning in advancing women’s education, child and maternal health, HIV prevention, and environmental sustainability.
• African Ownership:  African leaders must provide the leadership to promote family planning in their countries, because without such ownership, we cannot achieve universal access. 

How did these key themes emerge? The Kampala conference attracted a unique mix of researchers, program managers, care providers, government officials, and funder representatives. We have synthesized the evidence and experience presented there into eight categories to help us answer the question, What do we do now?