Unmet need for contraception remains high in many settings, and is highest among the most vulnerablein society: adolescents, the poor, those living in rural areas and urban slums, people living with HIV, and internally displaced people. The latest estimates are that 222 million women have an unmet need for modern contraception, and the need is greatest where the risks of maternal mortality are highest.

The World Health Organization’s primary mandate is to provide assistance to its Member States in achieving the goal of the highest attainable standard of health for all, including sexual and reproductive health. Among other interventions, the provision of high-quality contraceptive information and services is essential for achieving this goal. It has been recognized that this cannot be done without respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights of all individuals.