February 2017: The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) has created an infographic to illustrate the concept of satisfied demand for family planning, and how best to assess it, as a contribution to the relevant indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG indicator 3.7.1 specifies that the international community should assess the “Proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods.”

The PRB’s infographic introduces users to the indicator, how it is measured and how it can be used moving forward. Demand Satisfied is defined as follows: “Demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods is the share of women (or their partners) who are currently using at least one method of modern contraception, out of the group of women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant in the near future.”

The “Demand Satisfied” measurement limits the population measured to women who have a demand for family planning.

The infographic highlights the importance of ensuring that fertility intentions are included in monitoring family planning. Using the “demand satisfied” measurement will improve monitoring of family planning by including “modern methods of contraception (which are more effective than traditional methods at avoiding unintended pregnancies)” and by limiting the population measured to “women who have a demand for family planning,” according to the infographic. The infographic offers charts with data for all countries, which permits the viewer to see trends in demand satisfied for family planning from 1970-2015.

A list of 230 global indicators was developed by the UN Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), and agreed to “as a practical starting point” at the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC 47) in March 2016. Indicator 3.7.1 is one of two indicators for measuring SDG target 3.7: “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.” Data on each indicator form the basis for a yearly report from the UN Secretary-General. [Demand Satisfied infographic] [List of SDG Indicators] [Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Report of the Secretary-General (2016)]