Behavioral science has the power to catalyze progress across the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) sector. Over the last decade, our Global Health team has worked on more than 250 projects in over 30 low-and middle-income countries applying behavioral science to programs across the ecosystem. From reducing provider bias during contraceptive counseling to boosting male engagement around contraceptive use, the need for behavioral science to drive the sector forward is clear.

Despite our successes, women’s opportunity to choose when and how they’d like to start or grow their families continues to be challenged worldwide. So, in order to effectively help women avoid unintended pregnancies, we must work smarter. To reflect on our work thus far and prepare for the future of family planning access, we spoke with key stakeholders across the ecosystem and together have started to build out five bold ideas for how behavioral science can advance sexual and reproductive health right now:

  1. Embrace complexity in cross-cutting themes.
  2. Tackle upstream behavioral changes in health systems.
  3. Catalyze social movements and systemic change.
  4. Strengthen and scale norm-shifting programming.
  5. Optimize the self-care revolution.

Read the full article about sexual and reproductive health at ideas42.