This paper details learning and insights from Action2020’s inception phase in 2015. The programme aimed to contribute to the achievement of the global goal of reaching 120 million women and girls with voluntary family planning by the year 2020, ensuring full, free and informed family planning choice for everyone, by holding governments to account for their Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) commitments. These reflections flow from the political economy context analyses and theories of change that were developed by Action2020 in ten countries and lead us to make recommendations for future family planning accountability programming.