The year 2010 marked a crucial moment where only five years remained to accomplish the goals that the international community set out to achieve in 2000 with the Millennium Declaration and ICPD for family planning.
Not only are family planning budgets not being met, but they are now in 2011 at risk of being severely cut as governments come under increasing pressure to cut down their expenditure.
It is precisely at times of economic crisis and population growth that family planning services should be increased, not decreased.
The official figures speak loud and clear:
1. 200 million women around the world do not have access to family planning services
2. 385,000 women every year die as a result of pregnancy and had funding targets been met, 70% of these lives could be saved.
Population Action International estimate that for every $100 million invested in family planning there are:
3.6 million more family planning users
2.1 million unintended pregnancies are avoided
825,000 abortions prevented
970,000 fewer births
70,000 fewer infant deaths
4,000 maternal deaths averted
By reducing or cutting funding we are simply taking away women's right to chose, putting lives at risk, increasing sexually transmitted diseases, and contributing to further increases in population growth we can ill afford. In turn we will have greater poverty, environmental degradation and conflict.
Author: Dr. A. Marcar
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