On the occasion of today’s World Contraception Day (WCD), Bayer supports the publication of the WCD Coalition “Framework for Action” plan calling on individuals, governments and organizations to address the alarming number of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide.
World Contraception Day takes place on September 26 every year. The worldwide campaign centers on the vision of a world where every pregnancy is wanted. WCD’s mission is to improve awareness of all contraceptive methods to enable young people to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health. WCD is supported by a coalition of 11 international NGOs/GO as well as scientific and medical societies with an interest in sexual and reproductive health. It is sponsored by Bayer HealthCare.
More than 41% of the 208 million pregnancies that occur globally each year are unplanned. Nearly half of those unplanned pregnancies end in abortion. An estimated 33 million unintended pregnancies each year are a result of contraceptive failure or incorrect use, so it is important that young people are well-informed about the different methods of contraception available.
The WCD Coalition – eleven organizations dedicated to increasing access to and availability of family planning services and education – have united to underline the importance of empowering young people to learn about contraception from reliable sources, talk about contraception with their healthcare providers and partners, and build contraception into their future plans.
“Contraceptive choice is an important choice, and it needs to be an informed one,” said Katja Iversen, CEO of the global advocacy organization Women Deliver. “Contraception is a game changer that can make it possible for young people to live their full potential. But they need the opportunity to learn about all available contraceptive options so they can make informed decisions about exactly what suits them best".
"Being able to make self-determined decisions is an integral part of every person's freedom – but this freedom is dependent on the availability of information and choices”, said Scott Sherriff, Head of Women's Healthcare, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. “As a leading company in family planning that has been active in this field for more than 50 years, we have a responsibility to make our contribution to comprehensive sex education for young people worldwide."
New data from WCD’s global “Youth Love Check” survey underline the need for action on contraception for young people. A worrying 37.2%of survey respondents – young men and women in Asia – know a family member or close friend who has had an unplanned pregnancy in the last few years. In addition, 63.3% of respondents have had sex with a new partner without using contraception. The survey also revealed variations in the sources of information most trusted by young people seeking knowledge about contraception. While some rely on their doctors, others put most trust in information they obtain from their friends or the internet.
The WCD Coalition’s “Framework for Action” looks at the key areas of unmet need in terms of enabling young people everywhere to benefit from access to high quality sexual and reproductive health advice and services. It examines the perspectives and experiences of young people who have had an unplanned pregnancy and of NGO and GO field workers, highlighting the need for accurate, unbiased information to be widely available and accessible. It calls on governments, organizations and individuals to empower young people to build contraception into their plans for the future.
The WCD Coalition aims to improve awareness of all contraceptive methods available to enable young people around the world to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and prevent unplanned pregnancies and STIs.