For the wellbeing of people, nature and planet
Your body. Your choices.
Your future.
Population Matters is a UK charity championing reproductive rights and the freedom to decide if and when to have children. Through evidence-based research, advocacy and local and global partnerships, we work to improve public understanding and strengthen women’s leadership and choices.
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Education opens possibilities
We advocate access to education and evidence-based information, so people can make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
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Healthcare makes choice possible
We stand for access to reproductive healthcare and voluntary family planning services, with freedom from pressure, targets or coercion.
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Equality means having a voice
We support women’s bodily autonomy, equal voice and participation in decisions. Our approach centres learning from and strengthening grassroots leadership, especially women’s.
Why it matters
Every person should be able to decide whether and when to have children, with the healthcare, education and freedom that make choice real. PM researches and explains how population dynamics interact with unequal consumption, resource systems and environmental change, and advances rights-based, fair responses.
Explore our research and resources
Women’s rights
Ensuring women have sovereignty over their bodies, including unrestricted access to modern contraception and abortion
Global justice
Poverty is not a consequence of limited global resources, but political and economic injustice.
Resources & consumption
Some of us take far more than others and there are many steps those of us who do must take to make our consumption sustainable.
Biodiversity
The diversity of life on Earth is essential to the health of our planet and to our wellbeing as human beings.
Supporting people to shape their own futures
Reproductive rights begin with the freedom to make informed choices. We work alongside local organisations to support community education, strengthen advocacy and learn from the people leading change.
Community education · Kenya
Young people leading the conversation
Critical Conversations Association uses art, performance and peer education to create space for informed personal choices and discussion of population and community wellbeing. PM supports its community-led approach and work to build evidence of impact.
Meet our partners in Kenya
Advocacy · Nigeria
Making reproductive choice part of the conversation
With CISLAC, PM brings community perspectives into discussions with policymakers about access to voluntary family planning and education.
Explore our work with CISLAC
Grassroots support · Sierra Leone
Backing women’s choices and livelihoods
Through Empower to Plan, PM supports SEED’s community-led project. Its plans bring together reproductive health education, women’s livelihoods and mangrove conservation.
Discover the SEED projectReproductive rights · Rigorous research · Better decisions
Stand for reproductive rights.
Help strengthen the evidence.
Our open letter asks research funding bodies to support research connecting demographic change, environmental sustainability and equitable development.
It calls for collaboration across disciplines and better understanding of how population dynamics, consumption and the conditions in which people live interact. Reproductive rights and freedom of choice must remain central to that conversation.
Read the letter & add your nameVoices supporting our work
On women’s choices, the wellbeing of communities and our relationship with the natural world: perspectives from our president and patrons, past and present.
“When women and communities have access to health information, family planning services, livelihoods and opportunity, everyone benefits…”
Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka
Founder and CEO, Conservation Through Public Health
Population Matters patron and board advisor
“…humanity needs to reduce its impact on the Earth urgently…”
Sir David Attenborough
Naturalist and broadcaster
Population Matters patron
“Positive solutions to tackle population growth change people’s lives for the better. Population Matters understands that.”
Gordon Buchanan
Wildlife filmmaker and presenter
Population Matters patron
“Family planning is listening to what women want, not telling them what to do.”
Malcolm Potts
1935–2025
In memory of our patron
“Educating and empowering women and girls and providing family planning information enables more people to choose the size of their families.”
Dame Jane Goodall
1934–2025
In memory of our patron
“We’re using up more than our fair share of the Earth’s resources. It only works because others are underconsuming.”
Chris Packham
Naturalist, presenter and author
Population Matters patron
“…how to find a balance between what humanity takes from Nature and what we leave behind for our descendants.”
Sir Partha Dasgupta
Economist
Population Matters patron
“Young people have a hunger to protect the environment – let’s talk about population. They’re ready for it.”
Judy Ling Wong
Painter, poet and environmentalist
Population Matters patron
“The emphasis for NGOs operating today is on women’s rights, non-coercive family planning…”
Jonathon Porritt
Environmentalist
President of Population Matters
“…backing women’s reproductive choices everywhere, including adapting positively to naturally falling birth rates.”
Sara Parkin OBE
Population Matters patron
Former Chair of Population Matters