Family Planning and Education
Rights-based, voluntary family planning and universal, high-quality education are essential human rights. They generate numerous direct benefits for gender equality, improved health and well-being, economic development, and more. Slower global population growth, a cascading outcome of increased family planning and rising education levels, contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Introduction
Universal access to quality education for all children, and access to voluntary family planning services for women, girls, and couples, are essential human rights and cornerstones of gender equality. Family planning generates numerous benefits for maternal and child health, nutrition, and economic development, and contributes to gender equality, climate adaptation, and resilience.
Access to education can lead to improved livelihoods, better economic opportunities, delayed onset of marriage, and delayed childbearing. When accompanied by quality sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, it can contribute to significant declines in maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates, unintended pregnancies, and unsafe abortions.
Substantially increasing investments for these human rights at an individual level is an effective way to ensure inclusive, equitable economic development and boost health outcomes across generations. In addition, as fertility levels change due in part to increased uptake of voluntary family planning and rising education levels, population growth slows, with cascading benefits for the health and well-being of people and the planet.
Project Drawdown’s Family Planning and Education solution advocates for universal access to quality education for all children, and voluntary family planning for all girls, women, and couples around the world.
Project ideas to get started
An awareness campaign that promotes the value of a girl's education
Brand a one-stop-shop community resource hub that provides access and information various programs within your area
Brand a video series that highlights women's achievements in climate science
Marketing campaign providing information on the importance of family planning
Have a project that highlights this solution? Email hello@climatedesigners.org to have it featured here
Articles and Resources
Helping People and the Planet Flourish Through Family Planning
The Population-Climate Connection: Why Family Planning is a Win-Win for Women and the Planet
Want To Slow Global Warming? Researchers Look To Family Planning
Bridging the Gap: Family Planning, Rights, and Climate-Compatible Development
