Why is One Billion Dollars for Family Planning Important for Youth?

• While the youth population increases dramatically, international family planning funds are on the decline. Over the past 10 years, international family planning funds have declined almost 40 percent, while 1.5 billion members of the world’s population are between the ages of 10 and 25, just entering reproductive age, signifying the largest cohort of adolescents in human history.[11] • Worldwide, there is still a tremendous unmet need for family planning, especially among young people. Current efforts to provide family planning services are not enough---over 200 million women have no access to modern, effective contraception. Furthermore, it is estimated that the unmet need for family planning among young people is twice that among adults.[12] • Adolescent girls are much more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than are older women. An estimated 14 million adolescents between 15 and 19 give birth each year. These girls are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or child ...  more

• While the youth population increases dramatically, international family planning funds are on the decline. Over the past 10 years, international family planning funds have declined almost 40 percent, while 1.5 billion members of the world’s population are between the ages of 10 and 25, just entering reproductive age, signifying the largest cohort of adolescents in human history.[11] • Worldwide, there is still a tremendous unmet need for family planning, especially among young people. Current efforts to provide family planning services are not enough---over 200 million women have no access to modern, effective contraception. Furthermore, it is estimated that the unmet need for family planning among young people is twice that among adults.[12] • Adolescent girls are much more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than are older women. An estimated 14 million adolescents between 15 and 19 give birth each year. These girls are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or child ...  more