Why involve men and boys in family planning programmes?

The central goal of family planning programmes is to allow individual to achieve their desired family size and spacing of births. Effective family planning has positive effects on a range of outcomes, not least for those living in low- and middle- income countries were family planning may be key to promoting individual wellness and national development.

There is therefore a need for effective family planning in lower income settings, and to know how this might be encouraged. Involving men and couples in family planning programmes is recognised as effective in increasing family planning behaviours and promoting sexual and reproductive health for men and women. Despite this, we do not yet understand why involving men and boys in family planning programmes works. Even more importantly for the future, we must understand how these programmes work.

This prompts the goal of INVOLVE_FP; to look at the existing evidence to find what works and why in family planning programmes with men and boys. We hope to produce guidelines and materials to inform intervention evaluation and development and help achieve better health outcomes for all.

Bibliography

FP2020. (2019). 2018-2019 PROGRESS REPORT: WOMEN AT THE CENTER. Retrieved from http://progress.familyplanning2020.org/sites/all/themes/custom/progressreport/pdf/FP2020_2019Report_WEB.pdf

Phiri, M., King, R., & Newell, J. N. (2015). Behaviour change techniques and contraceptive use in low and middle income countries: a review. Reproductive Health, 12(1), 100. doi:10.1186/s12978-015-0091-y