UNFPA: Progress on improving contraceptive prevalence is limited

Only limited progress on boosting contraceptive prevalence is being made across the globe, a new report has stated.

According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), annual increases of only 0.1 per cent have been recorded in recent years.

This, it said, means much more money needs to go into making modern family planning options available to communities in the developing world.

Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of UNFPA, commented: "Family planning is not a privilege, but a right.

"Yet too many women – and men – are denied this human right."

He reiterated UNFPA's pledge earlier this year to boost the level of access to family planning around the world.

Dr Osotimehin said this would improve the lives of millions of people and prevent about 200,000 maternal fatalities every year.

He added that world leaders need to build on the momentum that has been achieved in recent years and aim to "close the funding gap".