There is a particular need for advocacy for family planning programs, which have experienced a loss of emphasis for several years due to many factors. In the last few years there has been some positive momentum, partly due to impressive success in countries such as Rwanda, Malawi, and Ethiopia, making it an opportune time to build on this energy. There is also a growing need to strengthen national government capacity and commitment to ensure sustainable programs and progress.

To this end, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation have jointly funded a three-year project, Advance Family Planning (AFP). The 2011 evaluation finds that given the positive results so far, it would be wise to extend the project to better understand its potential and to better institutionalize its approach., Br