……Seven Years on Mainland, Nine Years in Zanzibar: UK International Development, UNFPA and partners celebrate lasting impact of the rights and choices for all

Dodoma and Zanzibar, Tanzania – The Government of Tanzania, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, UK International Development, UNFPA, and implementing partners have celebrated the successful completion of the Scaling Up Family Planning (SuFP) Programme, marking the end of seven years of implementation in mainland Tanzania and nine years in Zanzibar. The learning symposium events, held in Dodoma and Zanzibar, brought together government leaders, development partners, healthcare providers, civil society organizations, young people and communities to celebrate one of Tanzania's most significant investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Funded by UK International Development, the programme was implemented by UNFPA, MSI, and EngenderHealth across mainland Tanzania, while in Zanzibar it was implemented by UNFPA, EngenderHealth and Pathfinder International, in partnership with the Government of Zanzibar. Designed to strengthen health systems while expanding equitable access to voluntary family planning and reproductive health services, the programme prioritized women, adolescents, young people, persons with disabilities and underserved communities across the country.

As the Scaling Up Family Planning (SuFP) Programme closes, the programme will have the last legacy of measurable impact, stronger health systems, and lasting investments that will continue to improve the health and wellbeing of communities across Tanzania.

Over the course of its implementation, the programme reached more than 5.2 million women and girls with voluntary family planning and sexual and reproductive health services across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. By expanding access to quality, rights-based services and modern contraceptives, in Tanzania mainland the programme contributed to averting an estimated 6,500 maternal deaths and preventing approximately 8.3 million unintended pregnancies, significantly improving the health and wellbeing of women, families, and communities.

In Zanzibar alone, the programme generated 122,350 Couple-Years of Protection (CYP), reached 75,802 people with voluntary family planning services, helped avert an estimated 58,113 unintended pregnancies, and prevented approximately 26,298 unsafe abortions. These achievements have made an important contribution to improving reproductive health outcomes and expanding equitable access to essential services across the islands.

Beyond these impressive numbers, SuFP transformed the way reproductive health services are delivered. The programme strengthened reproductive health commodity security by improving forecasting, procurement, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain management, ensuring a more reliable and uninterrupted supply of life-saving reproductive health commodities throughout the country. Thousands of healthcare providers enhanced their capacity to deliver quality, rights-based, youth-friendly, and disability-inclusive services through training, mentorship, and supportive supervision.

Celebrating Progress in Mainland Tanzania

The national close-out event in Dodoma celebrated seven years of collaboration and innovation that strengthened Tanzania's health system while expanding access to quality reproductive health services across 22 mainland regions.

Speaking during the event in Dodoma, the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Grace Magembe reaffirmed the Government's commitment to sustaining the programme's achievements. 

"The Scaling Up Family Planning Programme has strengthened our health system while expanding access to quality reproductive health services for women, adolescents and young people across Tanzania. As Government, we are committed to sustaining these achievements through stronger domestic investment, resilient supply chains, continuous availability of reproductive health commodities and the integration of family planning into primary health care services."

UNFPA Representative Mark Bryan Schreiner emphasized that the programme's greatest achievement lies in the stronger systems it has built. 

"The true success of SuFP is measured not only by millions of women and girls reached, maternal lives saved and unintended pregnancies averted, but also by the stronger systems we leave behind. Through investments in reproductive health commodity security, resilient supply chains, skilled health workers and data systems, Tanzania is better positioned to sustain these gains. Our collective responsibility now is to ensure that every woman, every adolescent and every young person continues to have access to quality, rights-based sexual and reproductive health services."

Representing UK International Development Will Guest, Deputy Development Director, British High Commission Tanzania reaffirmed UK’s commitment to advancing the rights of women and girls, a key priority for our Foreign Secretary and reflected in the recently launched International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls. He noted, 

“In Tanzania, the SUFP programme demonstrates what this commitment delivers—reaching over 5.2 million women and girls with family planning services, helping to avert more than 6,500 maternal deaths and 8.3 million unintended pregnancies, and empowering women and girls to make informed choices about their futures.”

He further emphasized the importance of sustaining programme gains through strengthened local ownership, continued investment in high-impact interventions, and the application of lessons learned to future health and development initiatives.

Lives Changed Through Partnership

For beneficiaries, the programme's impact extended far beyond statistics. Jasmine Omary, a family planning beneficiary from Dodoma, shared how access to services transformed her future. 

"Family planning gave me the opportunity to complete my education, plan my family and pursue my ambitions with confidence. I sincerely thank UK International Development, UNFPA and all partners for believing in women like me. Their investment has changed countless lives and given us the opportunity to make informed choices about our future."

Zanzibar Celebrates Nine Years of Partnership

One week later, stakeholders gathered in Zanzibar to celebrate nine years of partnership that strengthened reproductive health services across all five regions of the islands. The event highlighted achievements in reproductive health commodity security, provider capacity development, youth-friendly and disability-inclusive services, gender-based violence prevention and response, and strengthened data systems that support evidence-based planning and equitable service delivery.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the implementing partners—UNFPA, EngenderHealth and Pathfinder International—the UNFPA Deputy Representative Ms. Melissa McNeil Barrett emphasized that the programme's legacy lies in stronger institutions and more resilient health systems. 

"The conclusion of SuFP is not the end of our shared journey—it marks the beginning of a new phase of national ownership and sustainability. The investments made in reproductive health commodities, supply chain systems, health workers, youth-responsive services and data will continue benefiting communities for generations. Together, we must sustain this momentum and ensure that every woman, adolescent and young person can exercise their reproductive rights."

Government Reaffirms Commitment

Closing the Zanzibar event, Hon. Dr. Saada Mkuya, Acting Minister of Health, reaffirmed the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar's commitment to protecting and expanding the programme's achievements. 

"The achievements we celebrate today demonstrate the power of partnership, innovation and shared commitment. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar remains fully committed to sustaining these gains by integrating successful interventions into national systems, strengthening domestic financing, ensuring continuous availability of reproductive health commodities, investing in resilient supply chains and expanding quality, youth-friendly and disability-inclusive services across Zanzibar."

She also issued a call for continued collaboration. 

"As global development financing continues to evolve, we must strengthen national ownership while maintaining strong partnerships. We call upon all stakeholders to continue investing in women, adolescents and young people because they represent the future of Zanzibar and our nation's sustainable development."

Young People at the Centre

For Jamal Abdul, a young man from Zanzibar, the programme created opportunities that extended well beyond health services. 

"The youth-friendly services supported by this programme gave me knowledge, confidence and the courage to make informed decisions about my life. I thank UK International Development, UNFPA and all partners for investing in young people. My hope is that these services continue so that every young person has the same opportunity to thrive."

Building Stronger Systems for the Future

The programme has been strengthening Tanzania's reproductive health supply chain and health system resilience. Investments in forecasting, procurement, logistics management, provider capacity, digital information systems and evidence-based planning have improved the availability of reproductive health commodities and enhanced the country's ability to respond to future health challenges.

The programme has also demonstrated that investments in family planning extend far beyond health. By enabling women and couples to make informed reproductive choices, SuFP contributed to improved maternal and newborn health, increased educational attainment, greater economic participation of women, poverty reduction and accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

A Shared Call to Action

As the Scaling Up Family Planning Programme officially concludes, partners issued a united call to action for government, development partners, civil society, academia, the private sector and communities to safeguard and build upon these achievements.

The call emphasizes increasing domestic financing for sexual and reproductive health, strengthening reproductive health commodity security and resilient supply chains, investing in health workers and data systems, expanding youth-friendly and disability-inclusive services, and ensuring that every woman, every adolescent and every young person—regardless of where they live—has equitable access to quality, rights-based sexual and reproductive health services.

The Scaling Up Family Planning Programme stands as a powerful testament to what can be achieved through sustained partnership and long-term investment. While the programme has officially come to a close, its legacy will continue through stronger health systems, resilient reproductive health supply chains, empowered communities and millions of women and young people whose lives have been transformed. The foundations have been laid; we now need to work together to cement the gains to sustain the progress and accelerate Tanzania's journey towards universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Dr. Warren Bright,  

UNFPA Communications Analyst, 

United Republic of Tanzania

Phone: +255 764 43 44 45  

Email: bwarren@unfpa.org