28 April 2026, Narrm (Melbourne) - Guttmacher has today released its latest report '‘Just the Numbers Australia 2026’’, providing vital analysis on the impact of Australia’s foreign aid contributions for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming in the Asia and Pacific Region.
Australia has established itself as an incredibly important partner in advancing SRHR, particularly across Asia and the Pacific region, where it directs nearly all of its bilateral family planning support. SRHR accounted for approximately 2.8% of Australia’s official development assistance in 2023.
Australia contributed an estimated AUD $49.2 million in 2024 for family planning. This investment enabled roughly 2.8 million women and couples globally to access modern contraception, leading to 830,000 unintended pregnancies averted. Yet significant gaps remain in the region, with 27.7 million women estimated to have an unmet demand for modern contraception. The research found that even modest investments at the country level would have a profound impact. For example, an additional AUD $1 million per year for the Philippines would serve an extra 56,000 contraceptive users, reducing unmet demand by 5%.
Elizabeth Sully, Director of International Research at the Guttmacher Institute highlighted: “Australia's foreign investments in family planning are delivering measurable, life-saving results, but with global sexual and reproductive health financing in crisis, the stakes have never been higher. Australia has a real opportunity to deepen its leadership on gender equality and reproductive choice--and the data shows exactly what sustained investment can achieve: preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths. These aren't abstract numbers. They are real people who depend on these services.”
Maria Antoineta Alcade, IPPF’s Director General, reflected: “We know that contraceptive services provide a significant return on investment - but most importantly, it's what women want and ask for. The question is not whether we can afford to invest in family planning - it’s whether we can afford not to. Our responsibility, as global leaders and funders, is to listen, and to act on what women need to prosper and thrive. These investments are not abstract, they prevent unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths, and give women the ability to have control over their own futures.”
ENDS
For further information or to arrange media interviews with our spokespeople from IPPF or Guttmacher, please contact Nerida Williams on newilliams@ippf.org or +66 62868 3089 (WhatsApp).
Notes
- To download the full report, please visit this link: https://www.guttmacher.org/2026/04/just-numbers-australia-global-srhr-investment-impact-2024
- Australia is an established development partner in SRHR, contributing a portion of its official development assistance to expand access to essential services across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These investments have delivered measurable, life-saving results.
- In 2024, Australia’s family planning funding—estimated at AUD$49.2 million—supported access to modern contraception for 2.8 million women and couples globally, resulting in:
- 830,000 unintended pregnancies averted
- 303,000 unsafe abortions avoided
- 259,000 unplanned births prevented
- Approximately 588 maternal deaths prevented
when
region
East and South East Asia and Oceania
Subject
Contraception