Help Save Funding For International Family Planning

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Note to readers: Feministing is honored to have Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28) guest posting on international family planning.

Ensuring access to reproductive health care and family planning is a hallmark in our effort to advance the rights and empowerment of women around the world. However, over the past decade, international family planning funds have declined by 40 percent in real dollars even though the number of women of reproductive age in the developing world has increased by 275 million.

As a result, 200 million women want but lack access to contraceptives, and this demand is projected to rise by 40 percent over the next 15 years. The absence of adequate funding and the resulting shortfalls hold grave consequences for the health and well-being of communities across the globe because family planning is essential to reversing the horrific trends of maternal and infant mortality in the developing world.

More than half a million women die from pregnancy related causes and childbirth complications each year while 50 percent of infant deaths result from poor maternal health and inadequate safe delivery care. The vast majority of these preventable deaths occur in the poorest countries in the world where there are limited services to promote safe motherhood and a lack of basic health infrastructure.

To address these issues, several of my colleagues and I are asking that the funding for international family planning assistance be increased in the Fiscal Year 2009 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act to reflect the U.S. fair share of the amount necessary to address the existing unmet need for family planning. These funds will be used to finance projects that promote safe motherhood initiatives, combat sexual and gender-based violence, and prevent and treat HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, reducing the risk of mother to child transmission.

Our request will enable18 million additional women in the developing world to use modern methods of contraception. Representatives Michael Michaud (ME), Christopher Shays (CT), Diana DeGette (CO), and I are circulating a letter to send to the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, the subcommittee that is responsible for funding for international family planning programs.

However, I need your help. As you are all well aware, funding for contraception and family planning within the United States, let alone as part of international aid, is subject to constant attack by far right-wing ideologues in Congress and outside groups. We need to have a strong showing of support for this funding increase to withstand the barrage of attacks we all know are coming. We need your Member of Congress to sign onto this letter.

I come to you today to ask that you let your Member of Congress know that you expect him or her to stand up for women's right to access reproductive health care. To let him or her know that you expect them to contact me, Louise Slaughter, and sign on to our letter requesting that the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee increase funding for international family planning assistance.

The current level of funding is simply not sufficient and women and children are dying because of it. Access to reproductive health care and family planning is an issue of basic human rights. Period.

Please help me convey that message to your Member of Congress. Please tell him or her that you expect them to stand up for a healthier world and planet and strengthen international family planning programs.

Posted by Vanessa - March 11, 2008, at 08:42AM | in Health , International , Reproductive Rights

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