Investing in family planning improves development prospects for everyone

Wellington, 22 September 2011

The New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) welcomes the findings of the World Bank’s new World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development, which states that investing in women is an economically sound strategy. Creating better opportunities for women and girls makes good economic sense and increases development prospects according to the report.

NZPPD particularly supports the assertion that if women and girls are given more control over their lives, particularly with respect to family planning, overall development prospects will improve for everyone.

NZPPD Chair Dr. Jackie Blue says “The benefits are clear – when women are able to freely choose the number and spacing of their children we will see reduced poverty, improved health and increased education opportunities. The economic benefits of this are obvious. Family planning is a cost effective and essential building block for both women’s empowerment and economic development”

“New Zealand has a role to play, particularly in our Pacific region, in ensuring that everyone is able to live healthy reproductive lives. Family planning plays an essential role in that. With an estimated 215 million women worldwide with an unmet need for contraception, further investment is needed in this area.”

“We need to improve family planning services and work to empower women at all levels of society so they can play more of a decision making role. If women aren’t actively included in development initiatives, more often than not they bear the brunt of the negative impacts.” Dr Blue says.

The World Bank report also acknowledges that it takes more than economic growth to improve women’s lives. In fact, rapid economic growth has, in some circumstances, exacerbated gender inequalities.

Background
The NZPPD is cross - party, with currently 42 members representing just fewer than 40 percent of all New Zealand MPs. The group has provided a forum for New Zealand parliamentarians to engage and act on international population and development issues for twelve years. The NZPPD has a particular focus on the Pacific region, where the population and development challenges remain great. Family Planning International houses the NZPPD Secretariat.

The full World Bank report can be downloaded here.

www.fpi.org.nz

ENDS

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