Governments Must Prioritize Mothers' Lives 365 Days a Year
May 15, 2006
Mother's Day comes and goes each year, but in order for the world's mothers to truly lead healthy and productive lives, improving access to maternal and child health care including access to modern contraceptives must be on the forefront of governments' agendas year-round.
U.S. Policies Undermine Family Planning Programs in Ethiopia
May 8, 2006
For many Americans, Ethiopia conjures up images of impoverished people 44 percent of Ethiopians live below the poverty line and half of all children under age five are stunted from lack of nutrition. What is less understood are the factors contributing to this dire situation. One of these factors is a shortage of modern contraceptives: Couples who are unable to plan and space their pregnancies often must support very large families on limited resources. Unfortunately, U.S. policies are hampering the effectiveness of family planning programs in developing countries such as Ethiopia and limiting the supply of reliable contraceptives.
Closing the Gender Gap in Education: Is There Evidence of Short-term Declines in Adolescent Fertility?
May 1, 2006
Britain's recent pledge of US$15 billion to fund education in developing countries over the next ten years comes as good news for the estimated 493 million school-age children who are not enrolled in school, the majority of whom are girls. The gender gap-the difference between boys' and girls' school enrollments-is an indicator of gender equity and of a country's level of development. The gap is widest among countries in sub-Saharan Africa and a few Asian countries, including Yemen and Pakistan. Education has a profound impact on the future course of women's lives, influencing employment opportunities, earning potential and political participation. Access to quality education is also one of the best defenses against HIV infection, providing young people with the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions. Education is especially critical to HIV prevention in girls, as it reduces the power imbalances and social and financial dependencies that typically make females more vulnerable to infection. Moreover, a large body of evidence suggests that education of girls is associated with their roles in family decision-making and patterns of childbearing, resulting in improved maternal and child health, improved childhood nutrition, higher educational attainment among children, and a lower likelihood of experiencing unwanted and high-risk pregnancies.
How Family Planning Protects the Health of Women and Children
May 1, 2006
Family planning dramatically improves the health and chances of survival of both women and their children. At the same time, when parents are more confident their children will survive, they are more likely to have fewer children and plan the size of their families. U.S. international development and humanitarian assistance should support both child health and family planning programs as complementary initiatives.
PAI Releases First High-Resolution World Map of Future Population Growth and Decline
May 1, 2006
New Mapping Technology Projects Human Population Changes for Year 2025
PAI Releases First High-Resolution World Map of Future Population Growth and Decline
May 1, 2006
Pockets of rural Africa, Latin America and Asia are likely to lose population in the next two decades despite generally increasing density in these regions, a new map of projected future population increase and decline suggests.
The Road to Toronto Condone or Condemn?
May 1, 2006
PAI praises Catholic Church leaders visibly supporting condom use to prevent HIV transmission, and hopes that public support of their recent statements along with findings from the Vatican's current study on condoms and HIV will prompt the Vatican to consider developing an official policy advocating condom use for HIV prevention.
Connecting the Dots: Voluntary Family Planning, Population, and the Environment
April 24, 2006
Millions of infant deaths can be avoided worldwide with better family planning, according to the authors of a study published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association that demonstrates the benefits of birth spacing on infant health. Given the well-known positive effects of birth spacing on maternal health, along with women worldwide increasingly indicating their desire to control the timing and number of their children, PAI calls on the U.S. government to strengthen support of voluntary family planning programs by increasing funding and releasing them from onerous and unnecessary restrictions.
The Road To Toronto Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Strategy to "Save" Lives
April 17, 2006
PAI commends the development of a promising new comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment that incorporates Safer practices, Available medications, Voluntary counseling and testing, and Empowerment through education (SAVE). Given the findings of a recent report by the independent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) which illustrate that current U.S. prevention strategy leaves countries unable to responsibly address the specific needs of their epidemic PAI calls on the Bush administration and Congress to consider the breadth of the SAVE approach when developing a more scientifically sound and comprehensive prevention program.
Roasting Apes: Matt Damon Hosts TV Show on Wildlife Extinction
Media Source: Bloomberg News
April 13, 2006
Actor Matt Damon is convinced the Earth is on the verge of a "sixth extinction" that could even wipe out the strutting homo sapiens largely responsible for the looming calamity.
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