Governance as a Trialogue: Government-Society-Science in Transition

105 is no longer the darling of donors such as the World Bank, USAID, and private foundations, is family planning content to reposition itself and to play the “enabling” role in development that the Parliamentarians describe? Or will it prove its worth once again as a stand-alone intervention? The Role of the World Bank offers welcome signs that the negative tide that started at the 1984 Mexico City population conference may be beginning to turn. Return of the Population Growth Factor cites the inclusion of universal access to reproductive health as a target under the MDG on maternal health as a symbol of progress. But old debates about family planning’s relevance and tactics are still evident. To resolve them, the family planning community should continue to document their positive results on social and economic indicators, and to loudly and consistently emphasize the voluntary nature of their programs. As the case studies in The Global Family Planning Revolution show, success did not come quickly or easily. The same kind of patience and creativity demonstrated by these programs may well be required if family planning is to achieve a comeback.