Last month, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the global Evidence to Action for Strengthened Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls (E2A) project to a Pathfinder International-led consortium that includes IntraHealth International, Management Sciences for Health, PATH, the African Population and Health Research Center, and ExpandNet. A five-year effort with up to $230 million in funding, the E2A project is USAID’s flagship family planning project and will build on the successes of the recently concluded global Extending Service Delivery project.

The E2A project aims to build more global support for evidence-based, high-quality, accessible family planning and reproductive health care while integrating these services with other health and non-health services. The project also seeks to support women and girls to make informed health care decisions and fulfill their reproductive intentions and aspirations, and seeks to mitigate gender barriers. The E2A team recognizes family planning and reproductive health care as cost-effective services that save lives and as critical to helping countries reach the Millennium Development Goals.

The project’s consortium will advocate globally for support and funding of best practices in reproductive health care as well as advocate with national leaders and champions to garner stronger political support for family planning and reproductive health care. The E2A team will work with local communities and health facilities to build and strengthen local ownership in these programs. IntraHealth staff on the E2A team will focus on offering leadership in capacity building, gender and youth, and the institutionalization of best practices in reproductive health and family planning.

For more information, please visit the Pathfinder International website.