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The fact that we can walk into a drug store and buy condoms—or, heck, get them for free at the college health center—is something we totally take for granted in the U.S. All things considered, it's pretty easy to get condoms or other methods of birth control when we need them (there are even services that will deliver them right to your front door).

But this isn't the case for a lot of women around the world: According to a just-released report by the United Nations, by 2015 there will be over 200 million women with an unmet need for contraception.

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While the percentage of women unable to get contraception has actually dropped over the last 20 years, this number is, clearly, still pretty significant. Especially because the data was culled by studying only married or cohabiting women—meaning there are likely a ton of single women worldwide who are sexually active and need access to contraception.

There are a ton of factors that keep women from getting contraception, including high costs and limited facilities that provide family planning options in certain areas. In some places, there's also a lack of knowledge about the methods available or cultural values that keep women from using them. Various organizations are trying to help educate women about (and distribute) contraception, but because the issue is global, it's definitely a process.

We don't know about you, but we're gonna feel just a little more grateful the next time we pick up a box of condoms or our next pack of pills. Though, even in the States, things could be better—like, if over-the-counter birth control could just happen already.


What do you think?