“A few countries in Eastern and Southern Africa – namely Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda – have demonstrated a new wave of optimism and made good progress in addressing barriers of access to modern contraception over the past decade or so. Further, progress in contraceptive use in Kenya and Tanzania stalled in the 1990s, but both countries have recently demonstrated potential for recovery and good progress. The aim of this study was to explore the origin, architecture and role of political will in contributing to these largely unexpected successes.”