Community-based family planning (CBFP) brings family planning information and methods to women and men in the communities where they live rather than require them to visit health facilities.  Four CBFP strategies have been proven to extend services into the community: community-based distribution (CBD), community depots, mobile services, and engaging the private sector.  Several cross-cutting themes emerge with all four CBFP strategies, including involving the community in the CBFP program, building interest in the CBFP program and changing family planning behaviors, and ensuring reliable access to commodity supplies. These cross-cutting themes are addressed in the Community Mobilization, Behavior Change Communication, and Program Design & Management tabs, respectively.

One of the main objectives of CBFP programs is to increase access to and choice of family planning in underserved areas.  Community health workers provide access to a variety of methods, such as oral contraceptives, condoms, and increasingly, injectable contraceptives.  They also educate women and couples to use fertility awareness methods such as the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) and the Standard Days Method (SDM), and can make referrals for clinic-based methods.  This holistic approach ensures that clients in the community have access to a range of contraceptive choices to fit their needs. 

 

This section of the CBFP Toolkit is intended to provide users with resources that give overviews and distill lessons learned about CBFP programs, organized largely by the key CBFP strategies:

Have a suggested resource or comment about this section? Please visit our discussion board. We especially welcome suggestions of resources that provide a succinct overview or lessons learned about community depots, mobile services, and private-sector strategies.