UN: Rich nations 'failing' third world nations on birth control

BBC On-Line ^ | Tuesday, 3 February, 2004 | Alex Kirby

[yankeedame]

Last Updated: Tuesday, 3 February, 2004, 14:55 GMT

Rich 'failing' on birth control

By Alex Kirby
BBC News Online environment correspondent

Many women have no access to contraception

The developed countries are failing to live up to their promises to help to slow the growth in human numbers, the UN Population Fund, UNFPA, says. It says poor countries themselves are providing over 75% of the money spent on sexual and reproductive health care.

The fund says the medical benefits of better provision are clear, with this sector causing 20% of global disease.

But UNFPA says proper funding of sexual health services would also provide many other less obvious benefits to society.

Vital for poverty battle

With the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a US charity, UNFPA has published a report, Adding It Up: The Benefits Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Care.

"It is time for developed countries to live up to the pledges they made," -- UNFPA

It says improved provision is essential if the world is to realise the Millennium Development Goals, the global commitment to a radical reduction in poverty by 2015.

The report says sexual health services mean better maternal health, the prevention of unintended pregnancies, and a reduction in sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/Aids, which accounts for 6% of the global burden of disease.

It says: "Satisfying the unmet need for contraceptive services in developing countries would avert 52 million unintended pregnancies annually.

"This, in turn, would save more than 1.5 million lives and prevent 505,000 children from losing their mothers.

"The cost of providing contraceptive services to the 201 million women in developing countries with unmet need... would be $3.9bn per year."

Saving money

But the report says the benefits of better sexual health provision are not limited to individuals: they can mean better lives for families, and happier societies.

Geri Halliwell, UNFPA goodwill ambassador

It says: "By keeping young adults healthy and productive, by allowing parents to have smaller families... and by reducing public expenditures on education, health care and other social services, sexual and reproductive health services contribute to economic growth and equity.

"By enabling young women to delay childbearing until they have achieved education and training goals, and preventing stigmatising medical conditions, [they] contribute towards improving women's social position... "

Called to act

But the report says the developed countries are still a long way from making good the commitment they made 10 years ago, at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development.

In 2000, it says, they provided $2.6bn for sexual and reproductive health services - less than half what they had pledged in Cairo to be committing by then.

It notes: "More than three-quarters of spending on sexual and reproductive health care is currently provided by individuals, governments and non-governmental organisations in developing countries.

"While the developing countries must continue investing... it is time for developed countries to live up to the pledges they made at the 1994 conference."

[Joe Brower]

Yep, it's all our fault that these turd-worlders can't control their impulses, and continue to spew endless hordes of children that they can't clothe or feed.

[Athelas]

I am really getting sick of the idea that it is my responsibility to provide condoms, birth control pills and abortions to the entire world. Especially when we now know how Kofi etal were skimming the Iraqi Oil for Food program for their pet projects...if not their personal bank accounts.

"sexual and reproductive health care"...code for abortion.

I'm ready for the US to halt ALL funding to the UN until it goes through extensive reforms. It is useless, corrupt and anti-US. Why are my tax dollars going into these corrupt creeps pockets at all?

[Dead Corpse]

Well, Bush wanted $15 billion for AIDs research in Africa. Another $1.2 billion to renovate the UN building.

Since this is the modern face of "conservatism", maybe we should double both of those figures and be REALLY "conservative"!!!

[rudypoot]

""The cost of providing contraceptive services to the 201 million women in developing countries with unmet need... would be $3.9bn per year."

Bush gave you $15 billion. Now scram. The US has it's own problems.

[LaraCroft]

Not only is it your fault, it is your responsibity to go door to door and force them to USE the free contraceptives.

[Joe Brower]

More of our tax dollars poured down an infinitely deep rathole, with not even a word of thanks or gratitude forthcoming.

Sure makes me look forward to doing my taxes every year.

[LaraCroft]

"TUtah House of Representatives passed a resolution
urging the U.S. Congress to consider withdrawing the United States
from the United Nations. The resolution passed 42 to 33. It now
goes to the Utah Senate"

[Joe Brower]

Give me the resources, and I'll go door to door and STERILIZE them.

[Dead Corpse]

Yeah, but Bush did it... so it MUST be conservative. Right?

[templar]

I'm ready for the US to halt ALL funding to the UN until it goes through extensive reforms.

I'm ready for the US to halt all funding for the UN and then WITHDRAW from it.

[knak]

darn, (cause I should'nt post what I want to) I'm so tired of this story. Let them take care of themselves......or keep there pants zipped up!

[hellinahandcart]

They want these people to live with no electricity, running water, or internal combustion engines. And now they want them to live with fewer children to help them scratch a living out of the soil and provide for them in their old age.

They must see something "unsustainable" in these "developing" countries. I wonder what it could be.

[doc30]

But UNFPA says proper funding of sexual health services would also provide many other less obvious benefits to society.

Wouldn't it be easier and more effective just to fund their water supply development and add saltpeter instead of chlorine?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Liberals are constantly screaming about their "rights". What about the right to abstain from sexual intercourse? I'll support that and it doesn't cost a dime.

[Joe Brower]

"Yeah, but Bush did it... so it MUST be conservative. Right?"

Not that I can see. Deeds, not words.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I for one am ready for a world war. We all know it's going to happen sooner or later. The sooner we get started the sooner it's over. We need to kick it off with a civil war in this country.

[fml]

It says: "Satisfying the unmet need for contraceptive services in developing countries would avert 52 million unintended pregnancies annually.

Wouldn't it be so much easier if morals could easily fit in a santiary little pouch guys could carry in their back pockets?

[Dead Corpse]

I don't need to start putting (sarcasm) tags on everything do I? ;-)

[BenLurkin]