Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, October 7, 2026 - Stakeholders in family planning in Côte d'Ivoire have gathered in Abidjan to develop a SMART advocacy plan aimed at accelerating progress in access to family planning services. The workshop, organized by Alliance SMART Advocacy for Strategic Action (SASA) in collaboration with the Association de soutien à l'autopromotion sanitaire et urbaine (ASAPSU), brings together representatives from the Ministry of Health, civil society, youth organizations, media, and technical and financial partners.
The workshop focuses on examining the family planning landscape in Côte d'Ivoire, identifying key obstacles, and defining advocacy priorities in policy and financing. Participants aim to formulate specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives with concrete actions. According to Lath Claudine, Secretary-General of ASAPSU's Board of Directors, the ultimate goal is to strengthen collective accountability and create an environment where every woman and young person in Côte d'Ivoire has universal access to quality family planning services.
Dr. Yao Valérie, representing the Director-General of Health, noted that Côte d'Ivoire has made progress in improving access to and use of family planning services but highlighted persistent challenges in coordination, decision-maker mobilization, community awareness, and sustainable financing. She emphasized that advocacy must transform findings into decisions, decisions into commitments, and commitments into concrete and measurable actions.
Data presented at the workshop indicates that the unmet need for family planning is estimated at 22.3% among women of reproductive age, while the modern contraceptive prevalence rate stands at 22.5%. As part of its FP2030 commitments, Côte d'Ivoire plans to allocate 2.5 billion CFA francs annually for the acquisition, storage, and distribution of family planning products and ensure free services for adolescents and young people.
Dr. Sakina Amin Bello, Technical Director of Pathfinder and SASA representative, stressed that commitments must be supported by clear, evidence-based advocacy with a long-term perspective. She highlighted the need to identify bottlenecks related to financing, policy implementation, service delivery, and contraceptive product availability.
The workshop aims to produce action plans that outline responsibilities, deadlines, key steps, and monitoring indicators to strengthen coordination and accountability among stakeholders. The plans will help ensure that family planning services are accessible, affordable, and of high quality for all who need them.
Ultimately, the stakeholders hope that the SMART advocacy plan will contribute to reducing the unmet need for family planning, increasing the use of modern contraceptives, and promoting sustainable development in Côte d'Ivoire. By working together, they aim to create a supportive environment for family planning and improve the health and well-being of women and young people.
Key points
- Côte d'Ivoire aims to allocate 2.5 billion CFA francs annually for family planning products and services.
- The unmet need for family planning in Côte d'Ivoire is estimated at 22.3% among women of reproductive age.
- The country plans to ensure free family planning services for adolescents and young people as part of its FP2030 commitments.
