Family planning means so many things. It means preventing tragic maternal deaths, lifting women out of poverty, ensuring girls can remain in school, and so much more.

Since half of all pregnancies around the world are accidental or unintended, family planning is a pillar of our work to ensure women and girls have the power to decide if and when they want to get pregnant.

In Peru, family planning is changing the lives of girls living in poverty. Angie and Jazmin, who became mothers at 14 and 17, respectively, never received family planning information or services.

99% of teenage mothers in Peru live in poverty, so UNFPA provided access to family planning and comprehensive sexual education. Now, women like Angie and Jazmin can prevent future unintended pregnancies and focus on their education and employment opportunities. For Angie, this means becoming a lawyer like her dad.

In Sierra Leone, where nearly 1/3 of teenage girls are mothers, family planning is helping girls remain in school.

Fatmata became pregnant at 15 and was forced to drop out of school to care for her child. “It was a situation I found difficult to accept. Seeing my peers attending school every morning was a bitter pill for me to swallow,” she reflected.

But through a UNFPA program, Fatmata was able to return to school and has learned about sexual and reproductive health, including family planning. Now she says, “I want to continue with my studies, as I dream of becoming a nurse.”

In Moldova, where thousands of teenage girls become mothers each year, family planning is saving lives. Maria first became pregnant at 15 and now has three daughters.

Younger teenage mothers like Maria are at higher risk for pregnancy and childbirth complications. “The doctors were afraid I would die,” Maria told us.

After Maria fortunately gave birth to a healthy baby, we were able to provide her with access to family planning so she can prevent future life-threatening complications and can be around to support her young family.

This work saves lives, so will you help contribute to a world where every pregnancy is wanted and families have the resources to plan their pregnancies by making a gift today? Your donation will fuel crucial family planning work and other lifesaving services for women and girls across the globe.

Thank you for supporting this critical work.

— USA for UNFPA