Vientiane Capital, 7 October 2023 - World Contraception Day celebration was marked by the Ministry of Health, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and partners by gathering at That Luang Lake, the landmark of Vientiane Capital, for an early morning healthy walk, on the 7 October 2023. Thousands of people enthusiastically participated to celebrate "the Power of Options" highlighting the crucial role that contraceptive choices play in empowering individuals to take control of and make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

During the same week, many side events took place in different provinces to promote access to family planning services: Vientiane Youth Center (VYC) organized a variety of events in Vientiane Capital to promote access to contraceptives, including outreach in and out of schools and live discussions on social media. Nambak district in LuangPrabang organized a health promotion event on contraception and provided outreach services. Bokeo and Luang Namtha provincial health departments organized a capacity building workshop followed by a promotional campaign for contraception. The Lao Association of Midwives (LAM) coordinated with provincial offices to organize health promotion in the community. Jointly with Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the LAM will visit Savannakhet to meet ethnic midwives students and discuss the promotion of family planning services amongst ethnic communities.

Through the Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Strategy, the Ministry of Health is working to advance the availability of sexual and reproductive health information and services, provided by qualified and well-trained health providers to women, couples and youth in all their diversity. 

In Laos, unmet needs for family planning (FP)  amongst married women decreased from 19.9% in 2012 to 14.3% in 2017, and the proportion of married women who have their need for FP satisfied with modern methods increased from 61.3% to 71.7% during the same time period. Given this, the country appears to be on track to achieve its target of 8% unmet needs amongst married women by 2025. However, higher levels of unmet needs remain amongst adolescents 15-19 years old (17.6%), and amongst unmarried women (75.4%). 

Dr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health presented his appreciation to UNFPA and all partners who joined the healthy walk to claim equal rights and choices for all. He added: “The government of Lao PDR reaffirmed its commitment to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) at the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit in 2019. We are working closely with UNFPA, engaging all development partners to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of its citizens in all their diversity. In November this year, Laos will participate in the Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference to reaffirm our commitment to end unmet needs for family planning and continue to promote choices and options so that pregnancies happen by choice and women take informed decisions that protect their bodily autonomy and health” he emphasized.

Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative to Lao PDR, said: “Access to contraceptives is central to achieving gender equality, health development, social prosperity and economic growth. When women and couples are empowered to plan whether and when to have children, and how many, they are able to complete their education; their autonomy within their households is increased; and their earning power is improved. This strengthens their economic security and well-being and that of their families”

Contraception use helps prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. The World Contraception Day celebration strives to educate individuals about the numerous advantages of contraception so that pregnancy happens by choice not by chance.  Contraception is an integral part of women’s and couple’s decision-making. The benefits are manifold: The use of contraception decreases the rates of maternal death and disability, newborn and child mortality and morbidity, unintended pregnancies, and abortion. Male and female condoms can reduce sexually transmitted infections. Girls and women who can plan their families have more opportunities to realize their potential and participate in the economy, leading to more prosperous, stable and equitable societies.

Within RMNCAH and Nutrition, the greatest return on investment in making rights-based family planning methods available in all provinces is averting unintended pregnancies, reducing maternal deaths, reducing child deaths and preventing unsafe abortions.  It can further decrease the cost requirements for other health interventions and lead to economic benefits from increased workforce participation, additional years of education for adolescent girls especially, and increased lifetime earnings for women. Family planning scale-up also significantly improves nutrition and reduces stunting.

Reaching full coverage targets for Family Planning and Nutrition, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health interventions in Lao PDR by 2030 is affordable and can generate six dollars in economic returns for every dollar invested (benefit-cost ratio = 6:1).

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UNFPA, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, works in over 150 countries, including Lao PDR, to achieve zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence.

For more information, please contact:
laos.office@unfpa.org