Good morning and warm greetings

Hope this finds you all safe and healthy.

It gives me pleasure to share the published version of our invited Article “Why Family Planning Makes more Sense Now Than Ever Before” that has been published in a Special COVID-19 issue of the Journal of Health Management, which is now available online. The paper can be accessed at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0972063420935545.

We sincerely hope that you will find it useful in your work.

Please Take care and Stay safe!

With my best regards,

Vinit Sharma

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented scenarios and challenges for programme managers. Health systems have been overwhelmed with the increasing number of cases, and the focus has shifted to saving lives. Furthermore, lockdowns have adversely affected the production and distribution of products and availability of commodities, while the restrictions in movement have limited individuals’ access to services. This article analyses the possible consequences of the pandemic on the rights of individuals and couples and endeavours to provide justifications for continued national commitment and investments in family planning, especially during these challenging times. As sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights are fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, it is critical to focus on ensuring rights-based family planning, because it is intimately associated with fundamental human rights, addresses the issue of equity, equality and universality and provides valid and practical solutions to the vital economic quagmire that has unfolded as a consequence of this global crisis.