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Feature Story
In about 150 countries, including most of the poorest, UNFPA provides safe motherhood programs, helps prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, and gives women and men access to safe, modern contraceptives. Programs like these have resulted in a dramatic slowing in population growth, with fertility in developing countries falling to about three children per woman, down from over six in 1969. However, loss of these critically-needed funds could result in nearly 2,760,000 women going without modern contraception, 1,380,000 unintended pregnancies, 552,000 abortions, 645,840 unwanted births and thousands of maternal and child deaths.
Despite the success of voluntary family planning, about 350 million couples do not have access to a full range of family planning methods, and much work remains to be done. By 2050, population is projected to increase by about 50 percent to 8.9 billion, and the forty-nine least developed nations will triple in population. It is clear that women in developing nations wish to control their fertility and have fewer and healthier children. Without access to safe and modern contraceptive options like those provided by UNFPA, positive trends in population may stagnate or reverse with potentially devastating implications for the environment. While the links between increased population and environmental degradation are complex and not always direct, it is clear that our ecological footprint continues to get deeper as population grows.
Find out what is happening on Capitol Hill about Funding for UNFPA
What You Can Do to Help! The $69 million Congress has set aside for UNFPA's voluntary family planning programs in 150 countries over the last 2 years remains frozen. Every American should voice their support for UNFPA. Click here to Take Action. Two American women have initiated the 34 Million Friends Campaign. The Campaign asks Americans to each send $1 to the U.N. Population Fund to replace the funding withheld by the Bush Administration. To date, $1 million has been collected. For more information click here.
Back to Spring 2003 Population Report
Photos courtesy of UNFPA and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation
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The Bush Administration cut off all U.S. funding for the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA) on July 22, 2002. This decision was made against the wishes of the U.S.
Congress, which set aside $34 million for UNFPA for 2002 and an additional $35 million
for 2003. This unfortunate action is already having profoundly negative effects on
poor people around the world and will have long-term consequences for the global
environment unless it is reversed soon.
