Preventing the Need for Abortion
January 29, 2007
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
January 22, 2007
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
January 16, 2007
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
January 8, 2007
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
December 18, 2006
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
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
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
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
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
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.
