Why Policy Matters: Strengthening Family Planning Services for Guatemala’s Indigenous People

For the people of Guatemala, access to family planning services can prove difficult. This is especially true among Guatemala’s indigenous populations, many of whom live in the rural communities of the Western Highlands. While almost 60 percent of non-indigenous women are using modern contraception, less than 40 percent of indigenous women are. But Guatemala’s National Contraceptive Security Commission and a network of local, multisector subcommittees—are helping to improve the quality of and access to family planning services and commodities. Their efforts have contributed to an increase in the percentage of women using modern contraception; provided a mechanism for participation, transparency, and coordination at the local level; and promoted the continuity of family planning services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch this short film to learn more about why policy matters for Guatemalan’s indigenous people.