FHI 360, a global leader in family planning research for more than four decades, has received Research for Scalable Solutions (R4S), a five-year implementation science award, from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Under R4S, FHI 360 will generate and support the use of evidence to increase access to voluntary family planning and to improve the healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries in Asia, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa.
Nearly 215 million women in low- and middle-income countries still have an unmet need for family planning. In many of these settings, health systems are challenged by suboptimal data, limited financial and human resources, growing youth populations and increased urbanization. Decision-makers require evidence to locally adapt known effective interventions that best meet the needs of women, men and youth in their communities. The R4S consortium of partners will generate that evidence to inform feasible, sustainable strategies for cost-effective, high-impact practices and self-care interventions at scale and with equitable coverage. FHI 360 will partner with Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa, Makerere University School of Public Health in Uganda, Population Services International and Save the Children.
“Expanding access to high-quality, safe and equitable family planning services is essential for the health and well-being of women globally. In this day and age, it is unacceptable that many countries are yet to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend,” said Otto Chabikuli, Director of Global Health, Population and Nutrition at FHI 360. “Under this new award, FHI 360 will implement our proven approach to integrating research and research utilization activities to support countries’ abilities to generate and use knowledge to advance evidence-informed family planning programming and policies.”
R4S’s work will also include strengthening the capacity of local partners to generate, synthesize and apply evidence. Learn more about our work in family planning here. For additional information about the R4S project, please contact FHI 360.
Photo credit: © 2016 Ayomipo Edinger/Pathfinder International, Courtesy of Photoshare
