Contraceptives save lives – especially in crisis zones, where severely limited healthcare can lead to deadly consequences for women going through pregnancy and childbirth.
For all of society, preventing unintended pregnancies leads to a cascade of benefits, including expanding education and other opportunities for women throughout their lives.
Everyone deserves accurate, unbiased information about and access to contraception, tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Every woman has the right to reproductive agency – to freely choose whether, when and with whom to have a child, without coercion, fear or judgement.
Yet unintended pregnancies and unrealized fertility goals are common everywhere in the world, negatively impacting the physical and mental well-being of millions.
To realize reproductive agency, countries must ensure the availability of reliable contraceptive supply chains, medically accurate information and a broad choice of quality commodities. In addition, women-centred approaches to contraception are key to prioritizing women’s needs and experiences and respecting their choices.
In 2024, contraceptives supported by UNFPA prevented 18 million unintended pregnancies, 7.5 million unsafe abortions and 39,000 maternal deaths. Yet global funding for sexual and reproductive health is dwindling, directly undermining women’s rights, equity and agency.
With all of this in mind, the theme for World Contraception Day this year is: “A choice for all – agency, intention, access.”
