News from Population Matters.
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The most powerful action to save the planet is the most neglected one
In our latest blog post, our Digital and Communications Officer, Olivia Nater, writes that as well as being just and morally essential, achieving global gender equality would make an unparalleled contribution to improving lives, reducing emissions and halting the destruction of nature. However, it remains a chronically underfunded and overlooked solution. Empowered women who have…
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Going global on World Population Day
This World Population Day, 11 July 2019, Population Matters went global by running events in three continents. Thanks to our supporters and allies, we had a very successful day in Lagos, Nigeria, London, UK and New York, USA, developing new partnerships, raising awareness of population issues, and pushing them up the international agenda. We received more media coverage…
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Trump administration’s reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule is killing people
A new report reveals the extent of the damage caused by President Trump’s global family planning funding cuts. Vulnerable women and girls around the world are being deprived of vital reproductive healthcare, with devastating consequences. One of Donald Trump’s first actions as US president in January 2017 was to reinstate and expand the Mexico City…
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Letting the elephant out of the room: Our 2019 Conference
Population Matters’ public conference in London this past Saturday left attendees feeling enlightened and inspired. Following a successful first conference last year on human population and climate change, this year’s theme was the crucial link between population growth and biodiversity loss. With an incredibly knowledgeable international panel of speakers from diverse backgrounds, it was a…
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State of the World Population: Women and girls left behind
The latest UNFPA State of the World Population report highlights widespread and persistent gender inequality, with hundreds of millions of women around the world still unable to control how many children they have. ‘Unfinished business’ This year’s report, titled Unfinished Business: the pursuit of rights and choices for all, includes, for the first time, data on women’s ability…
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Gender equality boosts teen contraceptive use
A new study published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health shows that a country’s progress towards gender equity is reflected in greater use of contraceptives among its adolescents. Previous research has shown the same trend among adults, but this study is the first to examine the link in teenagers. Many developed countries, including parts of…
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Running to stand still? Meeting family planning targets.
A new report shows that the world is still not on track to meet contraceptive use goals by 2020, largely due to lack of government action and funding shortfalls. Slow progress The number of women who have taken up modern contraception has increased by 46 million since a global family planning initiative was launched in 2012, but…
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Tanzanian president: “birth control is for the lazy”
UPDATE 25 September 2018 Since this story was written, the Tanzanian government has ordered a US health charity to withdraw television advertisements promoting family planning. This worrying development suggests that President Magufuli’s comments may herald a change in policy on family planning and a threat to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Tanzania. Population…
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Ending child marriage “morally right, economically smart”
A new report examining the impact of child marriage in Ethiopia has highlighted the many devastating impacts it has on individuals and society. More than one-in-three girls are married below the age of 18 in Ethiopia. Girls married young have larger families, increasing population growth as well as making it more difficult for their families…
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Global Gag Rule – one year on
A year ago, US President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy. This led to major funding cuts to family planning services globally. A year on, the effects are starting to be seen. As feared, the most vulnerable communities and countries, those for whom family planning saved lives and helped lift people out of poverty,…