World Contraception Day 2024

“A Choice for All: Freedom to Plan, Power to Choose”

Vientiane Capital, 25 September 2024 – The World Contraception Day celebration in Vientiane Capital was a vibrant and engaging event, organized by the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and attended by a diverse group of partners from government, civil society, media, and youth. This year's event at Vientiane Center showcased the dynamic talents of youth through a series of captivating performances, including music, dance, and theater. Additionally, a thought-provoking debate between university students addressed key topics in sexual and reproductive health.

Under the theme, "A Choice for All: Freedom to Plan, Power to Choose," the event underscored the importance of contraceptive choices in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Hundreds of enthusiastic young people gathered to celebrate and advocate for greater access to comprehensive family planning services.

In the lead-up to the main event, various side activities were held across different provinces to further promote family planning access. Notably, the Vientiane Youth Center (VYC) and civil society organizations organized outreach and utilized social media platforms to spread awareness. Similar initiatives took place in other provinces, amplifying the event's impact.

 Recent progress in family planning in Lao PDR is encouraging. According to the Lao Social Indicator Household Survey (LSIS III-2023), the demand for contraceptives, satisfied by modern methods, increased from 71.7% to 74.9%. Despite these gains, challenges remain, particularly among adolescents aged 15-19 years and unmarried women for access to family planning services. This is particularly notable in the increase of the adolescent birth rate which increased from 83 per 1000 in 2017 to 89 per 1000 in 2023.

Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, expressed his appreciation to UNFPA and all partners for their support. He stated,

The Government of Lao PDR remains committed to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Family Planning 2030 ‘FP2030’ commitments. We will continue to collaborate with all partners to enhance sexual and reproductive health and rights. Our goal is to address unmet needs in family planning and ensure that pregnancies occur by choice, supported by informed decisions that uphold bodily autonomy and health.

The Lao PDR government reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights throughout 2023 and 2024, including at the 57th session of the Commission on Population and Development. Key commitments include:

• Increasing investments in family planning and mobilizing resources for national family planning programs through a comprehensive strategy and costed implementation plan.
• Enhancing investments in midwifery through the development of a national midwifery strategy and costed-implementation plan.
• Investing in youth-friendly health services, especially for vulnerable groups.
• Integrating climate resilience into the health sector to address climate challenges.

The Ministry of Health, through its Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Strategy, is dedicated to improving the availability of sexual and reproductive health information and services. These services are provided by qualified health providers to individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative to Lao PDR, emphasized,

Addressing the unmet need for family planning requires greater investments in the health workforce, strengthening national supply chain management system, reaching adolescents and youth and enhancing women’s and girls’ agency.  Accelerating progress towards ending the unmet need for family planning can both contribute to and result from women’s empowerment and gender equality, a valuable result and a critical element of economic development.

Investing in rights-based family planning methods and nutrition is recognized as one of the most cost-effective policy interventions for national development. It yields significant returns, including reductions in unintended pregnancies, maternal and child deaths, and unsafe abortions. Moreover, it reduces the cost of other health interventions and boosts economic benefits through increased workforce participation, extended education for adolescent girls, and higher lifetime earnings for women. Scaling up family planning efforts also positively impacts nutrition and reduces stunting.

Globally, the long-term return on investment can reach as high as USD 120 for every dollar invested. Improved family planning access and services not only provide substantial health benefits but also help governments save millions in healthcare costs.

Achieving comprehensive coverage for family planning, nutrition, and RMNCAH interventions in Lao PDR by 2030 is both affordable and economically advantageous. According to a recent investment analysis, every dollar invested in family planning provides benefits estimated at around USD 33.

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