Over 400,000 Unintended Pregnancies Prevented Since July
2017

KIGALI,
RWANDA -�Media OutReach�- 13 November 2018 -�A groundbreaking
international report shows the use of modern contraception on
the rise in Afghanistan, with 343,000 more women using modern contraception
compared to 2012.� The report also shows
modern contraception prevented over 400,000 unintended pregnancies and 163,000
unsafe abortions between July 2017 and July 2018.

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While almost one-in-three married women aged
15-49 have unmet need for modern contraception, the report shows Afghanistan is
making significant progress in family planning and taking their commitments
seriously.

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Beyond Afghanistan, the report shows more
women and girls than ever before are making the voluntary choice to use
contraception in the world's 69 lowest-income countries.

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The report entitled FP2020: Catalyzing Collaboration has been produced by Family
Planning 2020 (FP2020) - a global partnership that supports the rights of women
and girls to freely decide whether, when, and how many children they want to
have.� The report for the first time ever
includes new data on government spending on family planning in
Afghanistan.� The report -- available
electronically [progress.familyplanning2020.org]
shows:

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In Afghanistan:

• Domestic government spending on
  family planning of $1.1 million (2016) -- for comparison with other countries
  see page 23 of report at above link.
• A youth health line is now
  available in all Provinces and offers health information including family
  planning and reproductive health information to individuals who call in.
• In Afghanistan, among all women
  aged 15-49, an estimated 13.9% or 1.2 million are using a modern method of
  contraception in 2018. This is 343,000 more than in 2012.
• The modern contraceptive
  prevalence rate is estimated to have increased to over 20% among married women.
• As a result of modern
  contraceptive use between July 2017 and July 2018:

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407,000 unintended pregnancies
were prevented

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163,000 unsafe abortions were
averted

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910 maternal deaths were averted

• However, 28.1% of married women
  aged 15-49 have an unmet need for a modern method of contraception

Globally:

• The number of women and girls
  using a modern method of contraception in the world's 69 poorest countries had
  grown to more than 317 million, as of July 2018.
• This is 46 million more users than
  in 2012 (the year FP2020 was launched) -- an increase that is around 30% greater
  than the historic trend.

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Executive Director of Family Planning 2020,
Beth Schlachter said:

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"Rights-based
family planning is a catalyst that unlocks the potential of girls and women in
Afghanistan and around the world. Our goal is to ensure that each one is able
to exercise her basic rights to self-determination, health, dignity, and
equality. This is a core strategy for countries to improve the health and
well-being of their citizens and economy.

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"Women
represent half the global population, and there can be no healthy population
globally or in Afghanistan without reproductive health care.� As we continue to build the framework for
Universal Health Coverage (UHC), we must ensure access to full, free, voluntary
contraception is included for all women and girls.� As countries build UHC strategies,
rights-based family planning and SRHR services must be integrated within
primary health care systems."

Interviews about
the report, and its significance in Afghanistan are available with Dr. Ghutai
Sadeq Yaqubi, Family Planning/ RHCS Program Manager, RMNCAH Directorate,
Ministry of Public Health.� If you would
like an in interview, or have written questions, please reach out directly by
email to [email protected].

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A fact sheet with
more data specific to Afghanistan from the new report, as well as photo images
you are welcome to use, can be found here [https://we.tl/t-N6t2UUf3Xs].
If attribution is needed, please attribute to Family Planning 2020.

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The report is being launched at the
International Conference on Family Planning.�
Please follow and join in the conversation at:

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Twitter: @FP2020Global

Facebook: /Family
Planning2020

YouTube:
FP2020Global

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More background on
the Afghanistan's recent actions relating to family planning can be found at
http://www.familyplanning2020.org/afghanistan.