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Special Editorial: by Stephen Mills, Director, International Program
But wait, isn’t this the same President that upheld the Global Gag Rule and has refused to fully fund UNFPA? The President has earned widespread praise for leading the war on terrorism, for his coalition building and for confronting the immediate threat of terrorism in America. However, it is reasonable to question whether the Administration’s foreign policy is also capable of winning the peace –- of providing sufficient support for the development of civil society and democratic values. So how does this relate to population policy? Simple. The Bush administration’s failure to support women’s ability to control their own lives will ultimately undermine global efforts to create a more sustainable, more secure world. We live in a country whose citizens comprise only five percent of the world’s population, but consume 25 percent of the planet’s energy and produce 75 percent of the planet’s hazardous waste…citizens of other countries know this, even if most Americans do not. Granted, anti-American sentiment may stem from resentment of many of our freedoms, but many more individuals outside the US resent our perceived gluttony. It hardly seems prudent, therefore, to pursue foreign policies that do not fully support long-term sustainable development initiatives such as slowing population growth and fully empowering women through access to education and healthcare. If you are reading this newsletter, chances are you’re already several steps ahead of many of your neighbors. We need to engage a wider audience in a dialogue about how our foreign policies affect families, communities and countries worldwide and what we can do to improve those policies. Dissolving terrorist cells is only the beginning. To ensure lasting peace, we must insist that US foreign policy is both equitable and environmentally sustainable. Now is the time to speak up -– especially for environmentalists interested in the long-term sustainability of the planet. A small window of opportunity has opened and Americans have a new curiosity about our country’s role in the world. Now is the perfect time to talk to your neighbors, your friends, your newspaper editors and your members of Congress. Tell them that a more safe and secure future for us here at home also means a future where women play a more significant role in determining their own futures as well as in the international decision making process. In his State of the Union address, President Bush expressed the need to support the rights of Afghan women and children -- to give them adequate healthcare, education and services. But, the following week, the President rescinded US support for the UN’s family planning initiatives in his 2003 budget. Tell your friends to tell the President that he can’t have it both ways. If he believes we should help the women of Afghanistan, than we should extend this to the women worldwide who lack resources, education and access to adequate health services and information. Remind President Bush that by supporting women he’s also helping to protect the environment, uphold democracy, and build a safe and secure future for our families. Back to Winter 2002 Population Report Photo courtesy JHU/CCP Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club |
The tragic events of September 11th caused us all to refocus our priorities. We stayed close to home, we counted our blessings, we held our families near. For many, it also was a crash course in international politics. President Bush, once routinely criticized for his isolationist foreign policy, all but did an about face –- at least in recognizing the need to build an international coalition against terrorism. In his recent State of the Union address the President even said that respect for women was one of the "non-negotiable demands of human dignity" for which "America will always stand firm."