Strengthening Partnerships with Faith Actors in Family Planning

This High Impact Practice (HIP) Strategic Planning Guide is intended to lead program planners and decision-makers through a strategic process to engage and strengthen partnership with faith actors in family planning. The guide was developed through consultation with technical experts and builds on guidance from key resources noted in this guide. More than four-fifths of the world’s population is affiliated with a religious group, and the percentage of health care provided by faith actors in lower- and middle-income countries is significant and strategic but varies widely between countries. Learn about key actions to consider when starting and maintaining a dialogue with the diversity of faith actors in family planning. Faith actors are diverse in their approaches to family planning, ranging from supportive, to hesitant, to oppositional, depending on actor, context, and family planning method. While some may not be, many faith actors are willing and open to working on family planning. Finding entry points where they exist for engagement and collaboration is crucial to ensure better health outcomes.