Galvanizing commitment: creating a supportive environment for family planning programs.

Demonstrable commitment to family planning strengthens the enabling environment in which programs and policies are implemented. Regional and international initiatives such as the 2011 Regional Conference on Population Development and Family Planning and the subsequent creation of the Ouagadougou Partnership as well as the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning and the establishment of Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) have reenergized the family planning community. As a result countries and their development partners have recommitted to meeting the reproductive needs of their constituents. Sustained advocacy and accountability mechanisms are needed to ensure these commitments come to fruition. This brief examines the process of commitment making highlighting three forms of commitment - expressed institutional and financial - at the global regional country and subnational levels and considers why galvanizing support for family planning is important presents examples of different types of commitment and how they advance the enabling environment and offers experiential learning from experts in the field.