This Population Reports issue focuses on family planning and the importance of advocacy in family  planning programs.  Key evidences supporting family planning programs are summarized.  This  article presents the importance of advocacy for the improvement of the family planning programs  in developing countries.  Advocacy for family planning is becoming crucial as demand for  reproductive health care grows.  As many as 600 million people have used contraception, and  millions more would do so with better access to good-quality services.  Although fertility levels are  falling in much of the world, rapid population growth remains a critical issue in most developing  countries.  This is where advocacy is very much needed.  Through advocacy, many individuals and  countries will benefit especially in the area of family planning.  The benefits include saving the  lives of women and children; offering women more choices; and encouraging adoption of safer  sexual behavior.  Through effective family planning programs, population growth will also be  affected.  Slower population growth helps protect the environment and it aids development.