New publication:Global Family Planning Revolution

“The promotion of family planning in poor countries was one of the great development successes of the past 50 years”, says John Cleland, Professor of Medical Demography, Centre of Population Studies, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and President of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP).
In order to document the historic emergence of family planning programmes from the 1960s, a collection of essays has been prepared and compiled by the World Bank in a publication titled “The Global Family Planning Revolution: Three Decades of Population Policies and Programs”.

Based on 23 case studies, the 470-page book presents an historical record of this unprecedented movement, as well as important lessons to be learned for current and future initiatives in the field.

Organized by subregions, the book provides a comprehensive picture of the experiences on three continents and of the broad range of history, socio-economic settings and outcomes. The authors of the various chapters are prominent experts with first-hand experience and knowledge of the programmes during the period under review, with selective attention to subsequent developments.

“The unique contribution of this book lies in the 23 country case studies that document the diverse ways in which obstacles were overcome and success achieved. The volume provides an invaluable historical documentation of one of the most important developments of the past 50 years, the curbing of rapid population growth in poorer regions”, Prof. Cleland adds.

“The story of the appearance, for the first time in human history, of organized national programs devoted to the challenge of excessive and unwanted fertility should not be lost but should be mined for the lessons those programs might teach. This collection of essays was undertaken to answer that need”, write Warren C. Robinson and John A. Ross, editors, in the preface to the book.

The book’s overview and perspective chapter is signed by Steven W. Sinding.
Note: This book can be obtained through <www.worldbank.org/publications>.