A Contraception-21 strategy was adopted by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1993. The objective of the strategy is to mobilize and lift up the whole field of contraceptive research, to develop novel contraceptive approaches for the next century. The premise of the strategy is that, in spite of technological advances in the past few decades, current contraceptive choices are still inadequate to meet present and rapidly expanding future needs, particularly in developing countries. The central theme of the strategy is that it should be driven by the unmet needs of women, and not by a demographic imperative or by scientific opportunity alone. Two essential requirements are: mobilization of the science, particularly the new advances in cell and molecular biology, to provide the needed tools; and mobilization of industry to provide the needed resources.