Description
Services or programmes aiming to ensure that couples and individuals are able to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children, that they have the information and means to do so, that informed choices are made, and that a full range of safe and effective methods are made available.
Additional notes and information
Family planning programmes often offer contraceptives to prevent fertility and advocate child-spacing methods to help protect both mothers’ and infants’ health. Family planning programmes must be based on the principle of informed free choice.
Sources
(1) CEDAW Committee (1999). General Recommendation No 24 on Article 12 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women − Women And Health; (2) United Nations (1994). Report of the International Conference on Population and Development.