Family planning is an important concept in the field of development for two reasons. First and
foremost every human being has the right to access to information on the concept and to the
means to practice it. Second, when family planning uptake is low, high fertility rates are seen
and these have a negative influence on maternal and child health, economic development,
public infrastructure and the environment. Uganda has the 5th highest birth rate in the world
and has a high unmet need for family planning: 41% of the women that are sexually active do
not want to get pregnant but do nothing to prevent it. Because of Uganda’s limited resources,
effective yet inexpensive family planning interventions must be developed. Mobile phones are
gaining popularity in the field of development as their use is increasing rapidly in developing
countries. However, there has been little to no research on their use in the field of family
planning, and research on the use of mobile phones in rural areas in general is scarce. The
objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of the value of mobile phones as an
information and communication channel in Uganda’s rural areas, and more specifically to
influence family planning uptake.