(introduction...)
Expenditures on family planning across all developing countries
are under US$10 billion, much of it paid by national governments or individual
households. Equivalent to around US$1-2 per person per year, this is not large
by many standards. Family planning is a cheap way to reduce fertility, although
other approaches are also worth pursuing simultaneously. Governments have
several good reasons to support family planning programs, for the benefits they
provide users and the society as a whole. Donor countries also have a stake in
moderating global population growth, with its threats to the environment, to
economic progress, and to political stability in many critical regions. Although
they do not cover the bulk of the costs, donor contributions have been critical
in the past and continue to be
indispensable.