Just over a year ago, despite offering a pioneering public service for nearly 90 years and without much comment or notice taken in the media or from politicians, the UK’s Family Planning Association (FPA) went into liquidation. Founded in 1930, the FPA’s original stated purpose was, reflecting the social mores of the time, to enable ‘married people’ to “space or limit their families and thus mitigate the evils of ill health and poverty.” FPA developed into an effective, courageous campaigning organisation promoting and verifying safe, modern contraceptive methods and the rights of women to access them, including, where such choice had been unavailable or had failed to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, championing the right to abortion. Not surprisingly, as for any organisation working on population and choice issues anywhere in the world, the FPA came under attack from religious, political and pro-life groups – with its Belfast office frequently subject to protests by anti-abortion campaigners. Those, no doubt, will not mourn its demise. The organisation has survived in part as a commercial company, but offering a more limited range of services. Services that are certainly still needed. Although UK teenage pregnancies (defined as for girls under 18) have more than halved over the last decade, they remain twice as high in the more deprived areas of England. 2017 figures from England and Wales show a spike in teenage pregnancies resulting in abortion, the highest for 25 years. Proactive support and advice are clearly still needed to reduce unwanted teenage pregnancies and abortion, which reflect a failure to provide information, advice and support earlier. That’s why PM continues to support grassroots projects, such as Jiwsi and You Before Two, working with vulnerable women and teenagers in North Wales and the English Midlands. The fate of the FPA is a warning that access to sexual and reproductive health and rights cannot be taken for granted anywhere. After marking World Population Day 2019 in London, Lagos and New York, this year we are highlighting the importance of these rights – and the other ethical, empowering measures that will help us end population growth – online. Please join and support us if you can. - Robin Maynard, Director, Population Matters |
