Donor Support for Contraceptives Stagnates Despite Rising Global Demand

UNITED NATIONS, New York—Donor contributions for contraceptives and condoms for HIV prevention amounted to $223 million in 2007—a mere 5 per cent increase over the 2006 total of $212 million, according to a new analysis by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. This is despite a growing unmet need for such supplies, as more couples use modern methods of contraception and world population continues to increase.

Contained in Donor Support for Contraceptives and Condoms for STI/HIV Prevention 2007 , the analysis shows that funding for these supplies has virtually stagnated since 2001, when it peaked at $224 million.

According to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals report for 2007, globally some 200 million women have an unmet need for effective family planning. Furthermore, the number of contraceptive users is projected to rise by over 25 per cent between 2000 and 2015. Without concerted national and international efforts, warns the analysis, millions will not be able to exercise their reproductive health choices.

The analysis shows a sixfold increase in donor investments in the female condom, from nearly $2 million in 2001 to almost $13 million in 2007. In addition, 85 per cent of donor support in 2007 was allocated to three types of supplies: male condoms, oral contraceptives and injectables.

Sub-Saharan Africa received 60 per cent of the total 2007 support for contraceptives and condoms for HIV prevention —up from less than 50 per cent in 2006—followed by Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, and the Arab States and Eastern Europe, respectively.

The annual Donor Support for Contraceptives analysis contains a summary and analysis of a UNFPA-managed database that has tracked more than 21,000 procurement records of contraceptives, condoms for HIV prevention and other types of related reproductive health supplies since 1990.

Contact information:

Katja Iversen
Tel.: 1-212-297-5016
Email: iversen@unfpa.org