This post originally appeared on the Family Planning Voices website. Reposted with permission.

Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.

In [the Copenhagen Consensus Center’s] effort to convince the UN system to reduce the number of goals for the new Sustainable Development Goals, they commissioned a lot of research from around the world: What would be the best buy? What were the findings?

Number one is liberalizing trade—for every $1 that you spend, you benefit something like $450. And the second is family planning—providing contraception. For every $1 you spend, you benefit something like $120. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth were all way below that. It just shows you the power of research. Evidence can really influence programs. (2 of 3)

Photographer: David Alexander

Interviewer: Juliana Zuccaro