Transforming family planning and reproductive health services

November 11, 2013 by PATH

New collaboration between PATH and the Population Council will strengthen and scale up programs through implementation science

PATH will collaborate with the Population Council on a flagship initiative funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to generate, synthesize, and use evidence to strengthen and expand high-quality family planning and reproductive health services in USAID priority countries.

The EVIDENCE project–formally called the Strengthening Family Planning/Reproductive Health Programming Through Implementation Science project–aims to transform how family planning and reproductive health services are delivered through evidence-informed approaches that expand access, build capacity, and address unmet needs.

Building and using evidence to improve programs

The EVIDENCE project will address key issues, including strengthening and integrating health systems to more effectively provide services at scale; diversifying markets and financing to meet women's family planning and reproductive health needs; expanding the range and availability of contraceptives and other technologies to improve client choices and health outcomes; and responding to rapidly changing social norms and contraceptive behaviors within specific contexts.

The project's findings will be used to provide technical assistance to countries working to improve their programs. A network of selected research institutions will be created to provide complementary research and capacity-building expertise.

"PATH is pleased to be part of this initiative, which we believe has the potential to improve the health of women and their families for years into the future," said Jane Hutchings, director of PATH's Reproductive Health Program. "We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with this strong project team and partners throughout the world."

EVIDENCE will be led by the Population Council together with a consortium of partners including PATH, INDEPTH Network, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Management Sciences for Health, and Population Reference Bureau.

More information

Posted November 11, 2013.