Population Action International: Viewpoints and Statements

Family Planning in the Philippines: A Global Wake-Up Call for Policymakers

04/24/2008 PST

“Birthrates Help Keep Filipinos in Poverty” – that’s the headline of an April 21, 2008 Washington Post article highlighting the plight of a growing number of poor women in the Philippines who lack access to one of the most basic forms of health care: family planning (FP) and reproductive health services. The article, which mentions that the U.S. is scaling down its FP program in the Philippines, should be a wake-up call for policymakers about the global impact of declining FP assistance on the lives of hundreds of millions of men and women in the Philippines and other developing nations. U.S. investments in international family planning have been one of the most successful and cost-effective ways to improve maternal and child health, ease population pressures on the environment, and help countries fight poverty. But despite the achievements of recent decades -- including an increase in use of contraceptives among married women in the developing world from 10 percent to 60 percent since 1960 and a decline in average fertility rates from about six children per woman to three children per woman -- significant needs remain. For example, only one-third of married Filipino women use modern contraceptives.

Government Censorship: No Joke

04/04/2008 PST

As a librarian for over 30 years, I’ve seen my share of April Fools jokes. But this year’s seemed more outrageous – and less funny -- than in previous years. A librarian at the University of California/San Francisco Medical Center sent an inquiry to staff at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health when she found discrepancies in POPLINE searches that included the term “abortion.” On April 1, she received the following response from Debbie Dickson at POPLINE: “Yes we did make a change in POPLINE. We recently made all abortion terms stop terms. As a federally funded project, we decided this was best for now. In addition to the terms you’re already using, you could try using ‘Fertility Control, Postconception.’ This is the broader term to our ‘abortion’ terms and most records have both in the keyword fields…” In effect, the word “abortion” was downgraded from a medical search term to the status of words such as “a” and “the.”

U.S. HIV/AIDS and Family Planning/Reproductive Health Assistance: A Growing Disparity Within PEPFAR Focus Countries

01/09/2008 PST

US FY 2008 Foreign Assistance "Endgame"

12/19/2007 PST

More than two months after the beginning of the new 2008 fiscal year, the White House and Congress have finally reached agreement on a massive FY 2008 omnibus spending bill.

Let's Talk About Sex

11/30/2007 PST

Tomorrow, on World AIDS Day, let's talk about sex. 80% of new HIV infections are sexually transmitted; let’s stop pretending that sex isn’t happening and start making it safer.

A Remedy for PEPFAR's Flaws: Comprehensive HIV Prevention

11/13/2007 PST

Question: What do you do with a $100 million U.S. government program that isn’t working? The answer; you fix it. Abstinence and be-faithful programs for youth in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are not meeting the needs of sexually active and at-risk youth, according to a government-commissioned evaluation that took place in March. Eight months later, no plan has been put into place to address these flaws – endangering the millions of young people these programs are supposed to help protect.

The Global Gag Rule in the Crosshairs

11/05/2007 PST

Women are dying from preventable causes and the U.S. is contributing to the problem. This was the grave truth repeated at last Wednesday’s hearing before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Global Gag Rule (Mexico City policy)-the first hearing of its kind in the last decade. Women are dying because the U.S. Global Gag Rule is preventing them from getting the reproductive health care and supplies they desperately need to prevent unwanted pregnancies. For the first time since President Bush took office, both houses of Congress have passed legislation to right this wrong.

Keeping Reproductive Health Supplies on an Expanding Agenda

10/30/2007 PST

Last week, experts from around the globe traveled to Washington to discuss an issue critical to the health of millions around the world--access to reproductive health supplies, notably contraceptives and condoms. At the invitation of USAID, the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) gathered to strategize how to build support for reproductive health supplies in a time when the development agenda of donors and country governments continues to expand.

A Measure of Survival: Where are Women at Highest Reproductive Risk?

10/22/2007 PST

Over half a million women worldwide die every year in pregnancy or childbirth – largely from preventable causes. In the developing world, pregnancy remains the leading killer of women in their reproductive years. And for young girls between the age of 15 and 19, their chance of dying in childbirth is twice that of their peers in their 20’s. In order for countries and donors to address global priorities like poverty eradication, HIV cessation, and economic growth, strong political will to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women is paramount.

The Damaging Effects of the Global Gag Rule

10/15/2007 PST

At a heavily attended briefing in Congress last week, renowned experts Dr. Joachim Osur, of the Ipas African Alliance, and Matilda Owusu-Ansah, formally of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), addressed the damaging effects of the Global Gag Rule – highlighting the real, direct, and, more often than not, deadly impact of this policy in their respective countries.

Impact the Shape of Things to Come: Invest in Women and Youth

10/09/2007 PST

PAI’s recent study, The Shape of Things to Come: Why Age Structure Matters to a Safer, More Equitable World, was a hot topic in Washington last week when it drew a panel of experts to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The experts, including a Member of Congress and the heads of the Henry Stimson Center and the Population Reference Bureau, agreed: Demography can often be a powerful indicator for international development.

Appropriating Women's Lives

10/01/2007 PST

While today technically marks the first day of the government’s fiscal year, the budget is still tied up in Congress’s lengthy appropriations process. Looming over the new budget is the President’s threat to veto a number of appropriations bills because of disagreements over funding and policy issues. Among those issues he opposes are provisions in the State-Foreign Operation Appropriations (foreign assistance) bill that repeal the destructive Global Gag Rule and expand access to contraceptives in poor nations. Tragically, the President has vowed to veto the entire $34 billion foreign assistance bill -- containing critical funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, humanitarian and peacekeeping programs in Darfur, and famine relief -- because of these pro- family planning provisions.

Family Planning is Critical to HIV Prevention

09/24/2007 PST

Peter Piot, head of UNAIDS, made the rounds in DC last week discussing how the global community can achieve the internationally agreed upon target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. His message has been clear: Without a massive scale-up of prevention programs, we will fall far short of addressing the growing feminization of this disease. PAI welcomes Dr. Piot and his salient message. Now consider the future of this epidemic in countries where men and women desire to protect themselves and plan the size of their families but do not have access to services and supplies-especially condoms and contraceptives-which would make that desire a reality.

Challenge to the Global Fund: Save Lives by Including Reproductive Health

09/17/2007 PST

HIV/AIDS is an issue of tremendous concern to the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) community. This shouldn’t be news, but it bears repeating. And therefore, SRH initiatives are key to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. While stemming the tide of new HIV infections, these programs also curb child and maternal mortality, prevent the spread of other sexually transmitted infections and alleviate global poverty. So, why isn’t SRHR a core component of every global initiative to fight HIV/AIDS? It should be. PAI has joined many in challenging the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to make it so.

Congress Votes to Repeal Global Gag Rule

09/12/2007 PST

Last week, despite President Bush's veto threat, the Senate passed the FY 2008 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (by a vote of 81-12) that includes significant provisions overturning destructive policies on family planning and HIV/AIDS.

When You CARE Enough to Send the Very Best -- U.S. Policy That Is

09/10/2007 PST

It’s extremely rare for an organization to refuse funding, let alone $45 million. But that is exactly what CARE, a leading international relief organization, did last month when they refused U.S. government funding for food aid. According to a recent General Accountability Office report, the U.S. food aid program is seriously flawed. CARE agreed, finding that it hindered the development work they were trying to accomplish in the developing world. By challenging a policy they viewed as detrimental to their mission, CARE has put a spotlight on potential flaws in this U.S. policy – a spotlight that may even generate a change in policy.

Mr. President: Read the Bill!

07/30/2007 PST

Members of Congress head back to their districts this month with the threat of a Presidential veto of the 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill casting a dark cloud over the good work they’ve done. Why a possible veto? It’s all because of a provision that exempts U.S.-donated contraceptives and condoms from the restrictions of the Global Gag Rule. Who would have thought that helping life-saving contraceptives and condoms get to the people who want and need them most would be reason to veto $34.5 billion in foreign assistance?

Heed the Alarm: Scale up HIV Prevention

07/23/2007 PST

“For every person who began antiretroviral therapy in 2006, six people were newly infected,” according to a new report from the Global HIV Prevention Working Group. Without a major scale-up of HIV prevention programs, using existing prevention tools, 60 million more HIV infections are projected to occur by 2015. The best of the best have confirmed what many knew to be true: Only by significantly ramping up HIV prevention programs can we curb the scourge of HIV/AIDS. If the world does not listen, and new HIV infections continue to grow as they are, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves. The members of this group are the most knowledgeable experts on HIV prevention in the world and they have rung an alarm bell that world leaders must heed in order to put an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

It Takes Two to Tango: Men as Partners in Reproductive Health

07/17/2007 PST

Too often, it is women who make-and disproportionately bear the brunt of-reproductive health decisions on behalf of a couple. Women are the ones who risk dying from complications in pregnancy and childbirth. And if a mother dies, her daughters-not her sons-tend to be the ones who leave school to care for their families. Sadly, men more often hold the power in decision making, both at a personal and at a political level. PAI urges men to be the strongest allies in improving the health and well-being of women-whether as partners or politicians-by engaging in the fight to save the lives of their wives, sisters, daughters, mothers and other women in their community.

Sex in the Cities - A Stronger Case Than Ever for Reproductive Health Services

07/09/2007 PST

With further Senate action on the appropriations bill exempting contraceptives from the Global Gag Rule not likely until September, this is the perfect moment to highlight the importance of increasing access to contraceptives, which is crucial to global development and the fight against poverty.

Abstinence Isn't Enough: Protecting Married Women from HIV

07/02/2007 PST

“When you are married, you do not have the right to say ‘no’” -- Skytt Nzambu These are the words of Skytt Nzambu, a Kenyan woman who was infected with HIV by her unfaithful husband. Tragically, Skytt is only one of an increasing number of HIV infections that are occurring within married couples, according to information reported at last week’s HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Meeting in Rwanda.

Victory (is) in the House!

06/25/2007 PST

Population Action International celebrated an important victory for women and their families last week, as Congress passed a Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (H.R. 2764) that contained language correcting some of the most egregious aspects of U.S. international sexual and reproductive health policy.

Zealotry vs Lives

06/18/2007 PST

Family planning and reproductive health supporters are on the verge of a very important show-down in the House of Representatives on the issues of access to contraceptives and abstinence-only HIV/AIDS prevention restrictions

Appropriations Bill Includes Life-Saving Reproductive Health Provisions

06/11/2007 PST

With its Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs’ approval of the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill, the House of Representatives took a significant step toward grounding U.S. aid for family planning and HIV/AIDS relief in sound evidence.

Golden Opportunity to Correct PEPFAR's Fatal Flaw

06/04/2007 PST

PAI was thrilled to hear President Bush announce last week that he is requesting an additional 30 billion in funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) over the next five years. This historic effort has enormous potential to save millions of lives.

ONE Big Oversight

05/29/2007 PST

As the U.S. Presidential campaign season begins to heat up, a number of advocacy groups are beginning to develop policy platforms for candidates to support and endorse in their campaigns. The ONE Campaign, which develops these platforms for policymakers around the world on the topics of poverty and HIV/AIDS, is putting together such a document right now. Regrettably, rumor has it that ONE’s platform will give only passing mention of one of the most effective methods of fighting poverty and hunger, curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS, and reducing child and maternal mortality: family planning and reproductive health care.

Family Planning Key to Curbing Child Mortality

05/21/2007 PST

Maternal and infant mortality have declined in Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines according to a new report released by Save the Children. Much of this good news can be attributed to access to family planning services which give women the ability to space their children at healthy intervals and plan the size of their families. The successes of these five countries show how crucial financial and political commitments to family planning are to curbing child mortality, as well as meeting other development goals.

Fight Against HIV/AIDS Depends on Both PEPFAR and US-Supported Family Planning

05/14/2007 PST

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic increasingly affects women it is more important than ever that HIV/AIDS programs coordinate with and complement family planning and reproductive health programs. The question is: How can this be done most effectively?

U.S. Cuts Its Own HIV/AIDS Strategy Off At The Knees

05/07/2007 PST

Experts, activists and government officials agree on one thing: Meeting the needs of women is paramount to reducing worldwide HIV infections. Unfortunately, the U.S. response to achieving this goal has been at cross purposes. Rather than playing a starring role in reducing HIV infection in women and children, family planning programs are suffering from diminishing or a total lack of U.S. funding in almost all of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s (PEPFAR) fifteen “focus countries.” In effect, while the U.S. response to HIV/AIDS grows, its support for the very health programs where women have sought care for over four decades has lost considerable ground.

Family Planning - A Crucial Intervention for HIV-positive Women

05/01/2007 PST

Each year, over 600,000 children around the world are infected with HIV through mother-to-child-transmission, totaling 2.3 million children living with HIV or AIDS today. The majority of these infections is occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and are acquired from mothers during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding. While programs to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother-to-child (PMTCT) are invaluable, they currently are reaching only an estimated five percent of the HIV-positive population.

Male Circumcision: Another HIV Prevention Method Competing for Limited Funding?

04/30/2007 PST

Male circumcision, which has been shown to reduce a man’s risk of contracting HIV by up to 65%, should be made available in countries highly affected by AIDS, according to the WHO and UNAIDS. Used in addition to other proven HIV prevention methods – especially those focused on protecting women – circumcision is proving to be another effective weapon to fight the spread of HIV; the latest tool in a growing arsenal of prevention methods that will face limited prevention resources due to the large abstinence-until-marriage spending requirement in PEPFAR. This earmark should be repealed to give countries that have the most to gain by promoting circumcision adequate resources with which to support this effort.

Earth Day 2007: Improving the Status of Women Will Make a World of Difference

04/23/2007 PST

As we celebrate the 37th Earth Day, the world is increasingly-albeit belatedly-focusing on how to address the growing problem of human-induced climate change and the environmental destruction that contributes to it. One critical, but often overlooked, part of any comprehensive program to tackle climate change is addressing gender inequality-particularly in terms of reproductive health-in the developing world.

The World Bank: Keep Reproductive Health Paramount

04/16/2007 PST

The World Bank has a long history of supporting and strengthening reproductive health. This is why the reproductive health community was shocked last week when allegations surfaced that the World Bank’s Health, Nutrition and Population Strategy may de-prioritize the importance of family planning and reproductive health services to development progress. Certainly we heard more substantiated rumors that references to family planning were expunged from key country development strategies, Madagascar most notably. Because these initiatives are crucial to attaining the Bank’s goal of eliminating global poverty, the World Bank must maintain and reaffirm their commitment to reproductive health when they review the Health, Nutrition and Population Strategy on April 24th.

PAI Unveils the Shape of Things to Come

04/09/2007 PST

Investments in reproductive health programs and services can make countries “healthier”-more secure and peaceful, more democratic, and better able to provide for the needs of their citizens, according to a seminal new report from PAI. The Shape of Things to Come: Why Age Structure Matters to a Safer, More Equitable World examines the connections between demographics, reproductive health, international security, governance and other development issues. Programs that foster more balanced age structures-such as family planning, infant and maternal health, and girls’ education-must become a cornerstone of all international development assistance.

Congress Must Face Reality: Pass the PATHWAY Act

04/02/2007 PST

"I just heard of effective use of condoms, but I never knew how to use them." These are the words of Juliet Awour, a Kenyan woman featured in PAI’s new documentary, Abstaining from Reality: U.S. Restrictions on HIV Prevention. Neither Juliet nor her boyfriend knew how to use a condom, so he took it off during sex. As a result, Juliet became pregnant and contracted HIV the first time she had sex. Her story illuminates one of the gravest problems with a U.S. HIV prevention strategy that teaches abstinence-only: What do individuals know about HIV protection when they are no longer abstinent?

Mr. Gore Goes (Back) To Washington

03/19/2007 PST

This Wednesday, March 21, former Vice-President Al Gore will testify before both houses of Congress to discuss the growing threats posed by global warming. With top scientists and world leaders in agreement that human-induced climate change will have dire consequences if left unaddressed, Congress has an opportunity to address one element that Mr. Gore has consistently cited as a leading contributor to this crisis: rapid global population growth.

Elimination of Violence Against Women is Crucial to Fighting AIDS

03/12/2007 PST

Violence against women and the spread of HIV/AIDS are inextricably linked and must be addressed together, according to a new report released by Women Won't Wait. Every woman has the “right to freedom from violence and to the highest attainable standard of health, including sexual and reproductive health and services.” PAI couldn’t agree more and urges governments and multilateral institutions to ensure that these fundamental human rights are fully integrated into their approach to HIV prevention.

Sexual Rights: Critical To Reproductive Health

03/05/2007 PST

Integrating sexual rights into family planning and reproductive health programs is essential to ensuring that people have safe and healthy sexual lives, according to a new report issued by the World Health Organization. This confirms what many sexual and reproductive health and rights advocates have known for years: A comprehensive, rights-based approach to reproductive health that includes non-judgmental, culture and gender sensitive services is the most effective way to improve reproductive health around the world.

Women's Empowerment in the Spotlight

02/26/2007 PST

This week, delegates to the U.N.'s 51st Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will begin meeting to “evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.” PAI urges the delegates to examine the core issues that result in these horrible acts and honor previously agreed-to international commitments. These issues are symptoms of a deep-rooted tradition of discrimination against and violence toward women-one that the Commission challenges and must help member states to overcome.

Rwanda Justly Prioritizes Family Planning, Success Will Come If Programs are Voluntary

February 20, 2007 PST

PAI was heartened to see the Rwandan government announce a new national family planning program that will include the free distribution of contraceptives to women of child-bearing age and the teaching of comprehensive sex education in schools. Such political will is essential to getting reproductive health education and services to those who want and need them the most. However, as part of the family planning program, officials in Rwanda are apparently considering measures to limit family size to three children.

Bush's Budget Slashes International Family Planning

02/12/2007 PST

Last week, President Bush proposed a dramatic 25% reduction in funding for international family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programs in his federal 2008 budget request despite the fact that they are one of the most successful components of the U.S. foreign assistance program. These draconian cuts come at a time when U.S. funding for FP/RH programs is already 35% below (when adjusted for inflation) the levels of twelve years ago. In addition, the re-imposition of the Global Gag Rule in 2001 has made matters worse by forcing family planning providers in poor, developing nations to lay off staff and shut down their clinics. PAI implores the U.S. Congress to increase-rather than cripple-funding for international family planning and reproductive health as a key way to reduce global poverty and improve women’s health worldwide.

Poverty Reduction Stymied by Population Growth

02/05/2007 PST

The world will fail to achieve the targets set in the landmark Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) unless population growth is curbed, says a new report from the United Kingdom’s All-Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health. The report’s findings underscore the fact that access to family planning and reproductive health services is not only a fundamental right but also essential to achieving a wide-range of commonly shared goals, including eradicating poverty and hunger, reducing maternal and infant death, combating HIV/AIDS, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Preventing the Need for Abortion

01/29/2007 PST

Worldwide, nearly 80 million unintended pregnancies occur each year, with over half of them ending in abortion-even in countries where the procedure is illegal. These unintended pregnancies-and resulting abortions-could be prevented if women had access to the reproductive services and supplies, including condoms and emergency contraception, they want and need to determine if and when to conceive a child. The global community must fund reproductive health programs worldwide-these supplies, services and education are crucial to improving and saving lives that might otherwise be lost to maternal mortality and unsafe abortion.

Celebrating Women's Lives Becoming Safer

01/22/2007 PST

Today marks the 34th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing women’s right to safe abortion in the United States.

Religious Leaders Preaching Family Planning

01/16/2007 PST

Religious leaders are often among the most influential members of their communities. When they promote sound reproductive health practices and unite with health care providers, they can help make monumental strides toward ensuring reproductive health for all.

No Single Prescription For Prevention

01/08/2007 PST

The U.S. must have maximum flexibility to spend limited resources in the areas of HIV prevention that are most relevant to country demands.

Startling News Out of Uganda

12/18/2006 PST

Two recent studies have illuminated an alarming trend in Uganda: HIV policies that do not link or integrate family planning and reproductive health programs are missing the mark and putting more people at risk of contracting HIV. The first, conducted by the Uganda AIDS Commission, shows that married couples now account for the highest proportion (42%) of new HIV infections in Uganda. The second, a recent Guttmacher study, found that 40% of births in Uganda are unintended. The evidence is mounting: The current approach to family planning and HIV prevention is not working. As the global leader in both, the U.S. must shape its policies and funding to respond to the reality Ugandans-and women around the world-are facing.

2006: Congressional Inaction

December 11, 2006 PST

As the 109th Congress adjourns, its inability to pass appropriations bills ranks among the top failures that have rightly earned it the moniker the “do-nothing Congress.” Among the 9 of 11 mandatory spending bills that will not get final approval is foreign assistance, which includes funding for international family planning.

The Promise of Microbicides

December 4, 2006 PST

The world took a giant step towards developing a viable, safe and effective microbicide against HIV with commitments from several governments to significant microbicide development. Canada pledged US$13.2 million, and the Netherlands committed to $15.7 million over four years, to the International Partnership for Microbicides. Belgium ($4 million) and Sweden ($2.17 million) also increased their support for microbicides research. PAI hails these commitments and urges other governments to follow suit in order to bring this innovative and life-saving technology to the women around the globe who desperately need it.

Ending FGM: Encouraging Steps in Indonesia and Ethiopia

November 27, 2006 PST

An estimated two million girls worldwide undergo the brutal procedure known as female genital mutilation (FGM) every year, leading to physiological, sexual and psychological effects including hemorrhage, shock, infection, sexual dysfunction and increased risk of contracting HIV. It’s a tragic human rights violation, whose cultural and traditional roots run deep-making it difficult to combat. PAI has a long history of working towards the elimination of FGM-from generating awareness and action in the 80’s to funding anti-FGM projects in Mali over the past five years-but more help is desperately needed. We urge governments and communities around the world to take steps to eradicate this harmful practice once and for all.

WHO’s New Head — Will She Lead the Way on Reproductive Health?

November 20, 2006 PST

With the recent announcement of its new Director-General, the World Health Organization (WHO) ushers in a new era and, with it, an important opportunity to reposition family planning as a leading health intervention. Dr. Margaret Chan’s acceptance speech on November 9th was encouraging in this regard: “Improvements in the health of the people of Africa and the health of women are key indicators of the performance of WHO”. PAI welcomes the emphasis on these indicators and urges an expanded focus on family planning and reproductive health programs as one of the most effective ways to improve the health of women and their families.

WHO Raises Alarm: Family Planning Must Be Prioritized

November 6, 2006 PST

PAI's goal of achieving reproductive health equity for all women gained currency last week with the release of a report citing unprotected sex as the second leading cause of disability and death in the developing world, trailing malnutrition. The report, coordinated by the World Health Organization, found “declining financial support, increased political interference and an overall reluctance to tackle threats to sexual and reproductive health” and urged the global community to return family planning to the forefront of economic development issues.

Jacqueline Morby Elected Board Chair of Population Action International

November 2006 PST

Jacqueline Morby, a private equity investor, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Population Action International (PAI). This comes at a critical juncture in PAI’s history as both board and staff engage in strategic planning to realign the organization's work. Morby is a long-time resident of Pittsburgh, PA.

Nicaragua's Devastating New Ban

October 30, 2006 PST

Women in Nicaragua suffered a terrible blow last Thursday when the Nicaraguan legislature voted in favor of a total ban on all abortions-even in cases of rape, incest or when the woman’s life is in danger. This shocking move will surely result in higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. PAI condemns this misguided decision and urges the Nicaraguan government to rescind this dangerous law.

Thank you, Mr. Annan; Welcome Mr. Ban

October 24, 2006 PST

On January 1, 2007, when U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan steps down and South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon assumes office as the new head of the U.N, PAI and many others will be watching to see whether Ban Ki-moon will support what Kofi Annan started-recognition of the importance of reproductive health to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The 300 Millionth American: The Bigger Picture

October 16, 2006 PST

This week, the United States will welcome the birth of its 300 millionth citizen. The birth of a healthy baby into a family that wants it is always a cause for celebration. This landmark event has caused each of us to reflect on the state of our nation and the implications of population growth on issues ranging from congestion to quality of life to energy consumption. It took forty years for the U.S. population to jump from 200 million to 300 million-but what would it be like if our country’s population had instead doubled in that time? What if, instead of being a rich, industrialized country, we were already struggling to feed, clothe and educate our children?

Universal Access to Reproductive Health Key to Eliminating Poverty

October 10, 2006 PST

The international reproductive health community celebrated last week when the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a new target-universal access to reproductive health by 2015-under Millennium Development Goal 5, the reduction of maternal mortality by three quarters. By including this new target, the world takes a giant step towards reducing the devastatingly high level of maternal mortality.

The Tools to Conquer Hunger Include Family Planning

October 2, 2006 PST

In the 1950s and 60s, the first Green Revolution utilized scientific advances in agriculture to double the world’s food production. Now, as we face famine in areas where the population is still growing rapidly, expanded funding for family planning programs can make permanent inroads into world hunger. Otherwise, as PAI Council member and father of the Green Revolution Norman Borlaug said in his 1970 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance lecture, “…the success of the green revolution will be ephemeral only.”

Promising Unified Reproductive Health Plan for Africa Emerges

September 25, 2006 PST

Last week, Ministers of Health of the African Union (AU) adopted a cohesive strategy to “achieve universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services in Africa.” PAI calls for full support for this laudable plan in the form of adequate donor funding and technical assistance to ensure the success of this strategy.

Expand EC Globally: What's Safe for U.S. Women is Safe for All

September 18, 2006 PST

After years of inexcusable stalling on the part of the Bush administration, science trumped politics last month when the Food and Drug Administration approved emergency contraception (EC), allowing its sale over the counter to women eighteen and over. Now it's time for the U.S. to help women in the developing world gain access to the life saving benefits of emergency contraception. With risk of maternal death as high as 1 in 6 in countries such as Afghanistan, compared to 1 in 2,500 in the U.S., EC can save lives. PAI urges USAID to start purchasing and using the morning-after pill as part of their family planning arsenal.

As the U.S. Grows, So Grows the World: Environment Pays High Price

September 11, 2006 PST

A recent report released by the Center for Environment and Population warns that population growth in the U.S. is a "major contributor" to environmental degradation globally-a linkage that PAI has long highlighted around the world. Despite some claims that a global “birth dearth” is more of a concern than population growth, the U.S. population is poised to reach 300 million in October. And population is growing even more rapidly in developing countries-in Ethiopia, for example, the population is projected to double by 2045. Greater access to family planning and reproductive health services allow women and men to determine the number and spacing of their children-and helps ease population pressures on fragile ecosystems.

The "Education Vaccination": a Proven HIV Prevention Method for Girls

September 5, 2006 PST

Girls’ education deserves more investment and a higher profile in HIV prevention. According to a recent report by ActionAid, girls with a secondary level education or higher are much less at risk for contracting HIV. They are more likely to wait longer before having sex and to use a condom when they do. In light of the recent feminization of AIDS in Africa-where, according to this report, females make up 74% of young people aged 15-24 living with HIV or AIDS-education and access to condoms and contraceptives are crucial to young women at risk of HIV and unintended pregnancy. PAI couldn’t agree more: Educating girls is central to empowering women, improving family well-being, and achieving sustainable development the world over.

International AIDS Conference Emphasizes Evidence-Based Prevention

August 21, 2006 PST

At last week’s XVI International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Toronto, participants emphasized more boldly than ever before evidence-based prevention and the need to empower women to protect themselves from this deadly disease. As a founding member of the Caucus for Evidence-Based Prevention, PAI urges the implementation of HIV prevention policies centered on sound, scientific evidence and to give all people-especially women-the tools and information they need to protect themselves.

Caucus Promotes Evidence-Based AIDS Prevention Strategies at International AIDS Conference

August 17, 2006 PST

Sunday night’s opening plenary launched the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada, where thousands of people-including researchers, advocates, people living with AIDS, and policy makers-will spend the week discussing and debating HIV prevention, the treatment and care of those who have HIV/AIDS, and ways to eradicate this epidemic. Front and center is the Caucus for Evidence-Based Prevention, made up of over 50 influential non-government organizations, promoting HIV prevention efforts supported by scientific evidence, not ideology. As a founding member of the Caucus, along with amfAR and SIECUS, PAI calls for global support of evidence-based prevention as the best way to stem the growth of the HIV epidemic.

Foreign Aid Restructuring Threatens Family Planning Funding

July 31, 2006 PST

In January of this year, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a major restructuring of the U.S. government’s foreign assistance program under a new vision of “transformational democracy.” As details of the plan have emerged, it appears that the short-term national security and democracy promotion objectives favored by the State Department are trumping the traditional focus on development and poverty reduction. This shift could prove enormously detrimental to long-term development programs, including family planning and reproductive health. PAI urges Congress to address the potential dangers that lie in this restructuring now, before these programs-that help so many women and children in need-are irreversibly undermined.

Access to Reproductive Health Supplies is Crucial to Achieving Millennium Development Goals

July 18, 2006 PST

Ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information, services and supplies is essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to a recent report released by the Millennium Project. The report makes five specific recommendations on integrating SRH into the MDGs, including funding for reproductive health supplies and the systems that ensure accurate and timely distribution. PAI strongly endorses these recommendations, specifically the need to improve access to contraceptives and condoms to meet the growing global demand. Without access to supplies, a sustainable reproductive health program is unattainable.

PAI Urges Congress to Support PATHWAY Act

July 10, 2006 PST

In response to the tremendous need for greater flexibility in responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in-country, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, with 56 original co-sponsors, introduced H.R. 5674, the Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth (PATHWAY) Act of 2006. PATHWAY will require the President to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat the spread of HIV among women and children and eliminate the requirement that 33% of all HIV/AIDS prevention assistance go toward abstinence-until-marriage programs. PAI urges Congress to support this bill and allow countries the flexibility to develop HIV/AIDS prevention programs that respond to the unique needs of the epidemic in their countries rather than arbitrary quotas developed more with politics than prevention in mind.

U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Highlights Need for Family Planning in HIV/AIDS Prevention

July 3, 2006 PST

Although woefully underfunded compared to other HIV/AIDS prevention programs, family planning and reproductive health services are essential tools in reducing the spread of HIV. For example, family planning services are effective and affordable interventions for preventing mother-to-child transmission of the disease by helping HIV-positive women have access to the contraceptives they desire to prevent unintended pregnancies.

Condom Use and HPV

June, 26, 2006 PST

A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine substantiates the effectiveness of condoms both in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI), including the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The findings of the study Condom Use and the Risk of Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection in Young Women, support PAI’s long held belief that condom use is critical not only for HIV prevention but for prevention of other STIs. Programs that promote condom use for the prevention of HIV must collaborate with family planning programs for the purpose of reducing STIs, including HPV.

House Restores Family Planning Funding Cut by Administration

June 19, 2006 PST

On June 9, the House overwhelmingly adopted its version of the FY 2007 foreign operations bill, the annual legislation which funds U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs including Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH) programs. The House-approved bill includes $432 million for FP/RH programs, as well as $34 million for a U.S. contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), subject to a Kemp-Kasten restriction ruling. The $432 million funding level is a significant accomplishment in light of the Bush administrationís desire to cut the FP/RH funding level nearly 20 percent to $357 million. PAI commends family planning champions on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, in particular Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), for rejecting the steep cuts proposed by the President and for their efforts to restore funding to these critical programs.

Voluntary Family Planning: An Investment in Our World's Future

June 12, 2006 PST

Voluntary family planning programs have been found to be one of the most cost-effective health interventions in the developing world – yet account for less than 2 percent of all official development assistance. Funding worldwide must increase to meet the needs of over 200 million women in developing countries who currently wish to avoid or delay pregnancy but do not have access to modern contraceptives.

The Road To Toronto – Global Targets Needed to Measured Progress

June 6, 2006 PST

Last week's high-level HIV/AIDS review at the United Nations produced an outcome document containing strong language on the unique prevention needs of women and girls. However, despite repeated pleas from over 800 civil society organizations working on the front lines, it lacks targets for marking progress toward ending the scourge of HIV/AIDS worldwide. The U.S. delegation, among others, did not support the inclusion of global targets by which tangible results can be measured, and PAI joins civil society in voicing its disappointment over this lack of action.

The Road To Toronto – Civil Society Must Advocate For Women and Girls at HIV/AIDS Review

May 30, 2006 PST

This week, an unprecedented number of civil society participants will have the unique opportunity to raise their voices at the five-year review of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS). As HIV/AIDS increasingly impacts women and girls, it is imperative that civil society members, in partnership with their country delegations, take full advantage of their participation in the UNGASS review. We urge them to advocate for inclusion of strong language in the final outcome document that highlights sexual and reproductive health and rights as integral to the success of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care worldwide.

Congressional Action Needed on Contraceptive Supplies

May 22, 2006 PST

In 2001, President Bush's spokesperson affirmed that the President "knows that one of the best ways to prevent abortion is by providing quality voluntary family planning services." Since then, however, Bush's press secretaries have refused to confirm the President's position on contraceptives, and new White House press secretary Tony Snow proved no different last week during Q & A with reporters. With the President remaining silent, PAI calls on Congress to demonstrate its support for reducing the high rate of unintended pregnancies in the developing world – which often lead to abortion – by supporting greater access to contraceptives and quality voluntary family planning programs.

A statement from Amy Coen, President/CEO of Population Action International (PAI), applauding House reversal of President Bush's cuts to international family planning:

May 19, 2006 PST

In a significant rebuke to the Bush administration, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations today approved a fiscal year 2007 appropriations bill that rejects the administration's steep proposed cuts in international family planning and reproductive health programs. If the cuts had been adopted, U.S. efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality, unintended pregnancies, abortion, and sexually transmitted infections would have been greatly impeded.

Governments Must Prioritize Mothers' Lives 365 Days a Year

May 15, 2006 PST

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 PST

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.

PAI Releases First High-Resolution World Map of Future Population Growth and Decline

May 1, 2006 PST

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 PST

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 PST

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 PST

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.

Voluntary Family Planning Programs Linked To National Security

March 27, 2006 PST

The Bush administration's recently revised National Security Strategy (NSS) – the blueprint for U.S. management of major security-related challenges worldwide – cites the critical role of "foreign assistance to support the development of free and fair elections, rule of law, civil society, human rights, women's rights, free media, and religious freedom." Ironically, the President's 2007 budget request will ultimately cut voluntary family planning programs that are increasingly recognized by defense and intelligence analysts as linked to U.S. national security.

The Road to Toronto – New Caucus Puts the “Evidence” Back in HIV Prevention

March 20, 2006 PST

In anticipation of the XVI International AIDS Conference being held in Toronto, Canada (August 13-18), PAI will begin a series of viewpoints entitled “The Road to Toronto.” These viewpoints will appear frequently in the upcoming months; the first highlights the Caucus for Evidence-Based Prevention, a collaborative effort of Population Action International (PAI) with our colleague organizations: amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research; and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).

PAI Seeks Answers to Proposed Budget Cuts for Family Planning

March 13, 2006 PST

Dear Mr. President: In 1965, a bipartisan group of House and Senate members teamed together to launch U.S. assistance for international family planning in recognition of the fact that family planning assistance was essential to reducing poverty, hunger and environmental degradation and improving maternal and child health. Thanks to that pioneering U.S. leadership, the quality of life has improved for millions of women and children, and population growth rates have decreased to more sustainable levels in many parts of the world.

Women as Decision-Makers: Going Beyond the Numbers

March 6, 2006 PST

On the occasion of International Women's Day and the 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – which focuses on women in decision-making and development – women's rights advocates are recognizing the political strides made by women in recent months. Joining in the celebration, PAI stresses the critical importance of examining not only the number of women in decision-making positions, but also the substance of their agendas – to ensure that the best interests of women and girls are being met, including their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs.

PAI Takes to the Field to Monitor U.S. Policy

Feb. 27, 2006 PST

Earlier this month, researchers from PAI went to Vietnam to begin documenting the effects of U.S. policies on international family planning and HIV/AIDS programs and services. This research is part of a three-year collaborative NGO effort led by PAI and builds on a similar project that documented the detrimental effects of the Mexico City Policy on access to basic health services and contraception for women and their families. Joining PAI on this first trip was project partner SIECUS.

New Fund Aims to Fill "Decency Gap" Left by Destructive U.S. Policy

Feb. 21, 2006 PST

PAI praises the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) for pledging an initial 3 million pounds – the equivalent of over US$5 million – to a new fund supporting health organizations that have lost U.S. funding since the re-imposition of the Global Gag Rule. We also commend the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) for creating the fund, which will significantly reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions worldwide.

Members of Congress Find Common Ground on Contraceptives

Feb. 13, 2006 PST

PAI Lauds Bipartisan Effort to Increase Access for Women Worldwide PAI strongly supports the "Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006," recently-introduced legislation which transcends political differences by offering a sound approach to reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions among women in the developing world. Led by Representatives Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Dennis Moore (D-KS), members of Congress with vastly different beliefs about abortion have agreed on the goals of this unique bill (H.R. 4736). Co-sponsors include Mark Kirk (R-IL), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Jim Oberstar (D-MN), Vic Snyder (D-AR), Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Michael Michaud (D-ME).

PAI Instrumental in Introduction of Contraceptive Supplies Bill

02/13/2006 PST

New Bill, Introduced in Congress, Exempts Contraceptives from Global Gag Rule

PAI Urges Congress to Ignore Budget Proposal and Preserve Funding for International Family Planning

Feb. 6, 2006 PST

During last Tuesday's annual State of the Union Address, President Bush proclaimed that “for people everywhere, the United States is a partner for a better life” and admonished that short-changing these cooperative efforts would “increase the suffering and chaos of our world, undercut our long-term security, and dull the conscience of our country.” The President urged Congress “to serve the interests of America by showing the compassion of America.”

Seeing Is Believing: PAI Opposes Outright Congressional Travel Ban

Jan. 30, 2006 PST

PAI urges Congress to find a sensible, measured alternative to a proposed unilateral ban on all privately-funded congressional travel. As congressional leaders wrestle with the fallout from the latest corruption charges involving unethical travel gifts, educational opportunities – such as a cancelled upcoming trip to look at family planning clinics in Tanzania, sponsored in part by PAI – are being missed.

Unintended Consequences: Gag Rule Reduces Contraceptive Access

Jan. 23, 2006 PST

Five years after President Bush reinstated the Global Gag Rule on his first day in office, PAI calls on the Bush administration to show that this policy benefits women and their families in the developing world and actually achieves its implied objective of reducing abortions. In fact, PAI-led research by the Global Gag Rule Impact Project demonstrates that the reality of the gag rule's impact is quite the opposite. The gag rule has cut off family planning funding and worsened existing shortages of contraceptives – including condoms – at a time when they are desperately needed to prevent unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS infection. In Kenya alone, eight family planning clinics serving thousands of poor women have been forced to close because of the cut-off of U.S. funding.

Global Gag Rule Threatens Health and Well-Being of Women in the Developing World

January 20, 2006 PST

A Statement from Amy Coen, President/CEO of Population Action International (PAI), on the Fifth Anniversary of the Global Gag Rule: Our nation’s ambivalence about abortion continues to threaten the health and well-being of women in developing nations. When President Bush re-introduced the Global Gag Rule five years ago, he implied that a goal was to decrease the number of abortions. No such effect has been reported. In fact, the gag rule has adversely affected the health of women and families in many countries. At one of the Family Guidance Association’s regional health clinics in Ethiopia, plans to hire more medical staff and improve other health care were halted because they lost U.S. funding.

Council on Foreign Relations Calls for Restoring U.S. Leadership on International Family Planning Programs in Africa

Jan. 17, 2006 PST

An independent, blue-ribbon task force sponsored by the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations recently issued a detailed report calling for a more comprehensive and strategic U.S. approach toward Africa. In the report, the Task Force – comprised of a diverse group of influentials from across the political spectrum – highlights the pivotal role that slowing rapid population growth must play in U.S. policy toward Africa and the subsequent need for increased U.S. involvement in international family planning programs. PAI lauds the timing of the Task Force's prescriptions, given Congress' upcoming discussions on the fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget.

New Year's Resolutions: Better Late Than Never

Jan. 9, 2006 PST

For most, the new year often conjures up thoughts of fresh starts and new beginnings. But recent actions by the Bush administration demonstrate just the opposite. The administration has begun 2006 with a continuation of past bad behavior by steamrolling the U.S. Senate and ignoring civil society input in discussions regarding major U.S. policy decisions.

New HIV/AIDS Directive Highlights Need for Congressional Action

Dec. 19, 2005 PST

A new directive from the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) enforcing abstinence-until-marriage and be-faithful (AB) program funding will impose significant new restrictions on the use of U.S. HIV/AIDS prevention funds. The directive earmarks two-thirds of all prevention funding for the sexual transmission of HIV to AB programs, thus allocating less than 10 percent of all prevention funds to comprehensive, sound prevention programs. PAI calls on Congress to reject these new restrictions, which seem to contradict congressional intent that funding for comprehensive HIV prevention activities not be dwarfed by risky and unproven AB programs.

Majority of HIV/AIDS Prevention Funding to be Diverted to Abstinence Programs with New Bush Administration Directive

December 15, 2005 PST

A new directive from the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) significantly restricts the use of HIV/AIDS prevention funding. Two-thirds of all prevention funding for the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS is now limited to abstinence-until-marriage programs. The new mandate differs from what Congress intended and will further erode support for comprehensive programs to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS.

African Treaty Establishes Reproductive Rights as Human Rights

Dec. 12, 2005 PST

Just days before the world marked Human Rights Day 2005, a landmark treaty strengthening African women's reproductive rights was enacted. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) on the Rights of Women in Africa took effect on Nov. 25, 2005 – thirty days after Togo became the 15th African country to ratify the treaty, per the guidelines of the protocol. This groundbreaking document – which has 38 signatures and 15 ratifications from 53 member states – was originally adopted by the African Union in July 2003 to supplement the ACHPR. PAI commends Togo and the 14 other African countries for ratifying this important treaty, thereby elevating the status of African women.

Contraceptive Access Key to Eradicating Hunger

Dec. 5, 2005 PST

For many people in the world’s wealthy countries, the holiday season is often a time for overindulgence in food. But for the estimated 850 million people worldwide who suffer from hunger, this time of year only serves as a stark reminder of their often-constant struggle for adequate nourishment.

Population Action International Calls on U.S. to Reexamine Funding Criteria

November 30, 2005 PST

Population Action International Calls on U.S. to Reexamine Funding Criteria Population Action International (PAI) today is calling on the Bush administration to evaluate whether current U.S. restrictions on international HIV/AIDS assistance allow the most effective use of U.S. funds.

World AIDS Day: U.S. Restrictions Ultimately Snare HIV/AIDS Efforts

Nov. 28, 2005 PST

Themed “Stop AIDS. Keep the promise,” World AIDS Day 2005 – which takes place on Thursday, Dec. 1 – calls for governments and policymakers to be held accountable to commitments made towards ending the scourge of HIV/AIDS. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) signals the United States’ commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. However, in light of HIV infections doubling in the past decade and limited financial resources available worldwide, PAI calls on the Bush administration to evaluate whether current U.S. restrictions on international HIV/AIDS assistance make the best use of U.S. funds.

Partnerships Promote Progress for Sexual and Reproductive Health

Nov. 21, 2005 PST

PAI representatives, as members of the Asia Pacific Alliance, have joined hands with over twelve hundred participants at the 3rd Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive & Sexual Health (APCRSH), held Nov. 17-21, 2005 in Malaysia. The conference, which concludes today, brings together reproductive and sexual health workers, professional practitioners, social scientists, donors, policy makers, and government and civil society representatives from the Asia Pacific region and around the world.

Family Planning Funds Preserved

Nov. 14, 2005 PST

Congress Maintains Status Quo for U.S. International Population Assistance in FY 2006 Spending Bill PAI lauds Congress for preserving the current funding level of $440 million for international family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programs in the fiscal year (FY) 2006 Foreign Operations spending bill passed last week by the House and Senate. Although the approved amount is higher than his original request of $425 million, President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

TIME Summit Sets Global Stage for Success

Nov. 7, 2005 PST

A diverse array of hands were on deck for TIME Magazine’s Global Health Summit, held November 1-3, 2005 in New York City. Participants – including world leaders, corporate executives, academics, politicians and civil society representatives from around the world – tackled ten public health questions designed to not only spur debate within the conference but also to raise awareness and prioritize global health issues among Americans and citizens of the world. Terri Bartlett, Vice President for Public Policy and Strategic Initiatives at PAI, was among the active contributors to the discussion.

Trump Card: Science or Dogma?

Oct. 31, 2005 PST

Brewing controversy over the recent development of a breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine highlights the far right’s continuous disregard for sound science, both in and outside of the White House. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council told Fortune magazine that – because HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, is transmitted sexually – he would not allow his 13-year-old daughter to receive the HPV vaccine, fearing it would convey the “false” message that sexual intercourse outside of marriage is acceptable. In a world where cervical cancer kills 270,000 women annually – 80% of them in developing countries – dogmatic allegations in the face of sound public health science only serve to further politicize and jeopardize the health of millions of women around the globe.

PAI Urges Close Senate Consideration in Sauerbrey Hearing

Oct. 24, 2005 PST

On the eve of Ellen Sauerbrey’s confirmation hearing, PAI reiterates its appeal to the Senate to conduct a strict and thorough evaluation of the president’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration.

Without Equality and Access, Development Efforts Are Undermined

Oct. 17, 2005 PST

Achieving gender equality and universal access to basic reproductive health care underpins the realization of broader development agendas, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is the central message of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of World Population 2005 report, released last week, and PAI applauds the Fund in its effort to emphasize yet again the critical and inextricable link between these international objectives.

PAI Urges Congress to Watch Where It Cuts

Oct. 11, 2005 PST

Foreign Assistance at Risk of Being Cut to Offset Hurricane Recovery President Bush's call last week to further offset relief and recovery costs following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita came as Congress stepped up its own efforts to identify and recommend cuts in FY2006 budget line items. So that vital funds are not simply transferred from one emergency situation to another, PAI is calling on Congress to support previously passed levels of spending for U.S. foreign aid and look first at less-critical programs in its budget restructuring efforts.

PAI to Congress: Take a Close Look at Sauerbrey Before You Confirm

Oct. 3, 2005 PST

In the wake of resignations and allegations of cronyism at the highest levels of the Bush Administration, PAI strongly recommends that the Senate conduct a strict and thorough evaluation of Ellen Sauerbrey, the president's nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration.

PAI Pledges Commitment and Action to Clinton Global Initiative

Sept. 26, 2005 PST

Population Action International (PAI), represented by President & CEO Amy Coen, was among an esteemed group of world leaders, corporate executives, academics and civil society representatives in New York this month at the inaugural meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.

The World Summit Consensus: From Words to Action

Sept. 19, 2005 PST

In his opening remarks at the 2005 World Summit at the United Nations, President George W. Bush made a surprising about-face: “We [The United States] are committed to the Millennium Development Goals.”

Population Action International Condemns President Bush’s Decision to Withhold U.S. Funding from the UN Population Fund for Fourth Consecutive Year

September 16, 2005 PST

Population Action International (PAI) today condemned the Bush Administration’s decision to deny funding to UNFPA – the United Nations Population Fund – for the fourth consecutive year.

Population Action International Condemns President Bush’s Decision to Withhold U.S. Funding from the UN Population Fund for Fourth Consecutive Year

September 16, 2005 PST

Population Action International (PAI) today condemned the Bush Administration’s decision to deny funding to UNFPA – the United Nations Population Fund – for the fourth consecutive year.

PAI Launches New Online Index of Donor Country Spending

Sept. 14, 2005 PST

PAI Launches New Online Index of Donor Country Spending Update to 2004 Report Now Availalbe on PopulationAction.org As the 2005 World Summit convenes in New York to address global development issues, PAI today has launched a new online index of donor country spending and an update to its 2004 report, Progress & Promises: Trends in International Assistance for Reproductive Health and Population.

The Longer the Administration Waits, the More Women’s Lives Are at Stake

Sept. 12, 2005 PST

Every year by this time the Bush Administration has announced its decision to withhold critical funds from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This year the Administration is dragging its heels in announcing what will undoubtedly be a similar decision, not only at the expense of UNFPA and its critical health programs, but also of the women and families U.S. assistance is designed to reach.

Bolton-Style Diplomacy Makes its Debut

Sept. 6, 2005 PST

Only one month after President Bush’s controversial recess appointment of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Bolton is leading the United States in another attempt to rewrite a landmark consensus document and in doing so is further isolating this country from the international community – precisely the behavior anticipated by those who opposed Bolton’s appointment.

Decisions on International Family Planning Funding and Policy Await Congress After August Recess

Aug. 29, 2005 PST

On June 28, 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives approved by a vote of 393-32 the fiscal year (FY) 2006 spending bill for Foreign Operations. Included in this annual appropriations bill is funding for all U.S. international development assistance, including family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programs.

Decisions on International Family Planning Funding and Policy Await Congress After August Recess

Aug. 29, 2005 PST

The Critical Link Between Population Growth and Hunger

Aug. 22, 2005 PST

Severe food shortages in Niger have captured the world’s attention by illustrating the devastating nature of chronic hunger and famine. Chronic hunger, also known as food insecurity, affects approximately 850 million people worldwide and causes the vast majority of hunger-related deaths in the world today. While poverty and natural disasters are the most common causes of food insecurity, rapid population growth is intensifying the situation in parts of the developing world by overburdening already strained financial and natural resources.

A Friendly Reminder From Youth

Aug. 15, 2005 PST

The largest generation of young people in history is entering its reproductive years. Yet rarely do these youth have access to the detailed and accurate information about sexuality and reproduction they need to make the informed decisions that affect their lives. On the occasion of this year’s International Youth Day, the United Nations is calling on governments and civil society organizations to remain committed to the promises they have made to their youth – and PAI joins the UN in this call.

Bush's New Loyalty Oath Violates First Amendment

Aug. 12, 2005 PST

Population Action International Commends Lawsuit Challenging Ideological Restrictions on U.S. HIV/AIDS Funds PAI commends the lawsuit filed yesterday challenging the constitutionality of U.S. restrictions recently extended to U.S.-based organizations that provide HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

U.S. EC Restrictions are Nothing New to Women Overseas

Aug. 8, 2005 PST

A debate is emerging in the United States over the availability of and access to emergency contraception. But for women in developing countries – whose access to this critical family planning method has been hindered for years by restrictive U.S. policies – this debate is hardly new.

Supporting Prevention Could Make the Need for Treating Fistula Obsolete

Aug. 1, 2005 PST

More than 2 million women in the developing world suffer from obstetric fistula, a condition that results from complications during childbirth. An estimated 50,000-100,000 women are left incontinent by fistula every year, but not in much of the Western world where access to robust reproductive health and family planning services is widespread. Women with access to these services, specifically contraception, can protect themselves from fistula by delaying, spacing and limiting their pregnancies. But rather than help make those services available to more women, the Bush Administration and its allies in Congress are once again favoring treatment over prevention.

Bush and the Contraception Contradiction

July 25, 2005 PST

Even as President Bush reinstated the Mexico City Policy (also known as the Global Gag Rule) in January 2001, the White House asserted that the President supports U.S. family planning assistance efforts, stating that “he knows that one of the best ways to prevent abortion is by providing quality voluntary family planning services.” Four years later, the President’s support for safe and voluntary contraception is no longer so clear or concise.

In Comes the Pledge, Out Goes the First Amendment

July 18 2005 PST

Those Who Will Suffer are Those Most At-Risk of AIDS Since 2003, the Bush Administration has restricted funds to foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) combating HIV/AIDS by requiring these groups to have an official policy opposing prostitution and sex trafficking. This anti-prostitution loyalty oath did not previously extend to U.S. organizations because of justifiable concerns about its constitutionality, but domestic HIV/AIDS NGOs now are being required to make the same pledge or lose critical federal funds, due to the Justice Department's reversal of its original interpretation of the policy.

Equality for Women, Sustainable Populations for the World

July 11 2005 PST

The world’s population has more than doubled in the last half-century and is increasing by nearly 76 million people each year. Poor access to reproductive health services and the low social status of women continue to drive population growth, most of which is taking place in the world’s poorest countries. On the occasion of this World Population Day (July 11), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is campaigning to underscore the important issue of gender equality, and PAI joins them in this effort.

Rhetoric vs. Reality: Administration’s Inaction Speaks Louder Than Words

July 6 2005 PST

The United States joins other world leaders this week at the 31st Group of Eight (G8) summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, where as host, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is turning the spotlight on economic development. While the conversation will focus primarily on development efforts in Africa, it speaks to the role and future of the broader Millennium Declaration agenda, which includes the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to which 191 countries, including the United States, agreed in 2000.

Sexual and Reproductive Health is Key to the MDGs

June 20, 2005 PST

Civil society is taking center stage this week in New York at the United Nations General Assembly hearings. Only months away from the 2005 World Summit – the five-year anniversary of the Millennium Declaration and an opportunity to review progress made toward achievement of the MDGs – the sexual and reproductive health community is taking every opportunity to advance one message: universal access to sexual and reproductive health services is key to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly those related to gender equality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and environmental sustainability.

First Country to Receive Assistance from Millennium Challenge Account is Featured in New Documentary

June 14, 2005 PST

Finding Balance Links Population Pressures, Health Needs and the Environment Finding Balance: Forests and Family Planning in Madagascar, an award-winning 9-minute documentary by Population Action International, explores the work of Voahary Salama—an innovative local organization that works to reduce pressure on the environment while improving the health of the country’s population—and features rare interviews with local women who reveal their desire to have smaller families.

Population Action International to Premiere Award-Winning Film

May 23, 2005 PST

With 90 percent of its forests already destroyed, the need for balance in Madagascar’s fragile ecosystem is great. PAI's award-winning film, Finding Balance: Forests and Family Planning in Madagascar, draws attention to the impact of rapid population growth on the country’s rural villages and emphasizes the vital links between population pressures, reproductive health needs, and environmental sustainability.

AIDS-Affected Countries Tell U.S. to Keep Its Money

May 13, 2005 PST

More than 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV or AIDS, and another 14,000 people are infected each day – mainly by sexual transmission. The Bush administration claims to have elevated this public health emergency to a top priority, in 2003 pledging to spend US$15 billion over five years to help eliminate the virus. But rather than ensuring the swift and direct disposal of those funds to proven efforts on the ground, the government is tying up its aid in ideological stipulations – and AIDS-affected countries are choosing to go without.

Access to Health and Environmental Sustainability Go Hand in Hand

April 22, 2005 PST

A statement from Robert Engelman, Vice President for Research, Population Action International (PAI) "On the 35th anniversary of Earth Day, PAI recognizes the critical importance of conserving natural resources and sustaining the environment for the generations to come. Within a decade, over 7 billion people are likely to live on this planet – an increase of about 500 million people from today. The health of both the planet and its people are priorities.

Without More Money and Better Policies, Women and Children Pay the Price

April 7, 2005 PST

"PAI welcomes the new report from the World Health Organization (WHO), Make Every Mother and Child Count. This research reinforces the critical importance of universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, as agreed to in Cairo and Beijing ten years ago and underscored in reports and meetings surrounding the five-year review of the Millennium Development Goals.

PAI Embarks on Progress & Promises European Road Show

March 14, 2005 PST

Population Action International is pleased to announce that President Amy Coen and Sally Ethelston, a PAI vice president and lead author of Progress & Promises: Trends in International Assistance for Reproductive Health and Population will be traveling to a number of European cities 12 – 25 March 2005 to promote the research and findings from Progress & Promises.

World's Women Deserve Basic Human Rights

March 2, 2005 PST

Population Action International (PAI) is calling on the Bush administration to reaffirm United States support of an international agreement on women’s health and rights that is currently under review at the United Nations in New York.

UN Projects Continued Rapid Population Growth in Developing Countries

February 24, 2005 PST

Despite a widening debate in some industrialized countries over population aging and decline, new United Nations projections demonstrate that population continues to grow rapidly in much of the world and that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is far from cresting, Population Action International (PAI) noted on Thursday.

Condoms Count on National Condom Day

February 14, 2005 PST

February 14 is not only Valentine’s Day but also National Condom Day – an occasion to educate and promote condom use in the United States. To date, the condom remains one of the most effective, and affordable, ways to protect against sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. For most Americans, it is quite easy to purchase condoms — they are sold in drugstores, supermarkets, and even public restrooms. Yet around the world, especially in areas hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, condoms remain in dangerously short supply.

Council on Foreign Relations Calls for Restoring U.S. Leadership on International Family Planning Programs in Africa

Jan. 17, 2005 PST

New Study Gives United States a "C" for Lagging Support of International Reproductive Health and Population Efforts

December 2, 2004 PST

21 Donor Countries Ranked According to Level of Support In a comprehensive study released today by Population Action International (PAI) — an independent policy and research organization based in Washington, D.C. — the United States ranks 16th and receives a “C” on a list of 21 donor countries graded according to their financial and political support for international reproductive health and population programs. Leading U.S. allies the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan rank 7th, 10th and 13th, respectively. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway top the list; Spain, Austria and Portugal occupy the last three slots.

Where Are We Now? Report Card Finds Mixed Results Worldwide 10 Years After 179 Governments Pledged to Improve Health and Women’s Status

August 31, 2004 PST

Twenty-three countries have made significant progress toward the health and reproductive rights goals of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), but 17 countries have achieved little or nothing, or actually lost ground, according to a new report card.

Population Action International Decries President Bush’s Decision to Withhold U.S. Funding from U.N. Population Fund

July 16, 2004 PST

A Statement from Amy Coen, President/CEO, Population Action International We were hoping that President Bush would prove advocates for international family planning and reproductive health programs wrong this year and approve U.S. funding for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA). The decision, though not unexpected, really demonstrates this administration’s penchant for putting politics ahead of people and plain common sense. Most importantly, it means that countless women in developing countries will be deprived of desperately needed reproductive health care – services that so many women in the Western world take for granted.

Counting Condoms: Donors Coming Up Short

July 14, 2004 PST

U.S. policies to fight the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS through ‘abstinence-until-marriage’ programs are biased and unproven, according to policy and education experts who participated in a recent audio news conference during the XV International AIDS Conference.

PAI Dismayed by House Appropriations Committee Vote Against the Lowey Amendment to Restore U.S. Funding to UNFPA

July 9, 2004 PST

Population Action International (PAI) today expressed its dismay over a House Appropriations Committee vote of 26-32 against the Lowey amendment to provide $25 million in U.S. funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for work in six countries with extreme family planning needs and significant national security implications. The countries included in the amendment were: Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania.

News Update: Budget Stalemates, UNFPA Funding & Upcoming AIDS Conference

May 1, 2004 PST

This summer promises to be a busy one. The situation in Iraq, the political conventions and the Olympics are just some of the events likely to dominate the news. However, there will be a number of other newsworthy events related to foreign aid and global health in which PAI will be actively involved:

News Update: Tenth Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development

May 1, 2004 PST

Your opinion about the direction of our country’s foreign policy will play a central role in determining who wins this year’s U.S. presidential election. One issue that needs more attention, especially since the majority of U.S. citizens support family planning and reproductive health issues at home and abroad, is foreign aid. Given the unprecedented number of young people in the developing world entering their reproductive years and concerns about what lies ahead for them, now is the time to think about the tenth anniversary of the landmark 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (also known as ICPD at 10).

News Update: Budget wrap-ups and Countdown 2015

February 17, 2004 PST

With Congress gearing up for work on spending bills for fiscal 2005, U.S. policy and funding for international family planning programs will likely be a catalyst for conflict once again. The following summarizes where things stand now — and what may lie ahead. FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Signed Into Law On January 23 President Bush signed the FY04 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The omnibus allocates $432 million for international family planning programs, which is $7 million more than the President's request, but $14.5 million less than last year's level. Support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was earmarked for “up to” $34 million.

Foreign Aid Spending Signed Into Law

January 23, 2004 PST

PAI Asks to “See the Check” for UNFPA Population Action International responded with guarded enthusiasm to the enactment of the FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which allocates $432 million for international family planning programs, and earmarks support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

On World AIDS Day - Debunking the Myth that Condoms are Available to Everyone Who Wants Them

December 1, 2003 PST

Today, more than 20 years after the virus made itself known, 14,000 people a day – almost 10 people a minute – become unnecessarily infected with HIV. A growing number of these new infections occur through heterosexual sex. The best protection against sexually transmitted HIV remains the condom, yet condom availability in areas hardest hit by the pandemic remains dangerously low.

Bush Administration's Global Gag Rule Jeopardizing Health Care, Weakening HIV/AIDS Prevention and Endangering Lives

September 24, 2003 PST

Study is the First Conducted on the Effects of the Policy in Africa and Eastern Europe The Bush Administration’s Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule, endangers the lives and health of women, children and families in some of the world’s poorest countries, a new report released today finds. Access Denied: U.S. Restrictions on International Family Planning takes an in-depth look into the policy's effects — and comes less than a month after the President extended the Global Gag Rule to State Department family planning funds.

Bush Expansion of Global Gag Rule Shameful, Says Population Action International

August 28, 2003 PST

Today’s decision by the Bush Administration to extend the Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule, to State Department family planning programs has been strongly condemned by Population Action International (PAI).

House Votes "No" For UNFPA

July 15, 2003 PST

Population Action International (PAI) today expressed its dismay over a House vote to deny funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).