(CNN) -- Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards will step down this year, she announced in a statement on Friday. "Leading Planned Parenthood over the last 12 years has been the honor of my lifetime," she said. "Together, we have made real progress in this country, expanding access to services and making reproductive rights a central priority of our nation's health care system. I'm deeply proud of the progress we've made for the millions of people Planned Parenthood health centers serve across the country each year." During her tenure, which began in 2006, Richards -- a Hillary Clinton supporter -- helped elevate the profile of Planned Parenthood, which has been the subject of criticism by anti-abortion organizations, which have called on the government to strip the organization of its funding.
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