Family planning is an essential component of reproductive health.
Given that the demand for family planning is increasing and available public resources to meet this need are limited, continued access to quality contraceptives will require an active partnership of public and private sectors. A range of strategies is needed to ensure adequate contraceptive provision for all segments of society. This includes the provision of free or highly subsidized products as a social safety net for the poor, social marketing activities targeted at low-income groups and a commercial market for those who do not require subsidized contraceptives. By concentrating efforts on disadvantaged groups, governments should at the same time create a supportive environment in which higher income groups use products supplied by the private sector through social marketing and normal commercial mechanisms. The recognition of the important role already being played by the commercial private sector is historic, and the need for a strategic and coordinated effort involving all sectors is now widely recognized.