Even though population growth is negative at the global level, the populations of Africa and Asia in particular will continue to grow over the next few decades. That poses enormous challenges for sustainable development, both at national and global level. The promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights thus takes on special importance. Since the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 Germany has made available a total of more than one billion euros for improving reproductive health in developing countries. Most of this was channelled through bilateral cooperation.
