Investing In Adolescent Women’s Contraceptive Needs ‘Must Be At The Heart Of Global Health And Development Strategies’

Devex: Addressing contraceptive needs of adolescent women in developing regions
Ann Starrs, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute

“…[M]any young women who want to avoid pregnancy are not receiving the services they need to protect their health and delay childbearing. This is especially true in the poorest countries and in the poorest communities within countries. … A recent report by the Guttmacher Institute shows why meeting adolescent women’s contraceptive needs should rank high on the global agenda. … These significant health benefits would bring about additional broad and long-term social and economic benefits — not just for adolescent women, but also for their families, their communities, and their countries as a whole. It would spare young women and their families the adverse consequences of early childbearing, secure significant savings in spending on maternal and child health care, and boost young women’s education and economic prospects. It would reduce poverty and, ultimately, help nations achieve their developmental goals. The evidence is clear: Investing in adolescent women’s contraceptive services in developing regions must be at the heart of global health and development strategies” (8/12).

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