Governments, Donors Fail To Meet Promises To Support Family Planning Programs In Developing Countries, World Bank Report Says

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 24 Jul 2007 - 18:00 PDT

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Governments and international donors have not met their pledges to support family planning programs in developing countries, according to a World Bank report released on Wednesday, Reuters reports. The report, titled "Population Issues in the 21st Century: The Role of the World Bank," found that the priorities of donors and development agencies have shifted from family planning to other areas because fertility rates have declined in many low- and middle-income countries outside of Africa.

According to the report, in 35 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, most women give birth to more than five children. Of the estimated 210 million women worldwide who become pregnant annually, more than 500,000 die during pregnancy and childbirth, the report found. "Global funds and initiatives have largely bypassed funding of family planning, with less attention being focused on the consequences of high fertility, even in those countries that are lagging in achieving sustainable population growth," the report says.

Many developing countries struggle to provide access to contraceptives in rural areas, and a shortage of contraceptive supplies is an increasing problem, according to the report. About one in five pregnancies worldwide result in an abortion because of lack of contraception access, the report found. In addition, 5.3 million women suffer from either temporary or permanent disability and many face stigma and discrimination from their communities for undergoing abortions, the report found.

"Poor women endure a disproportionate burden of poor sexual and reproductive health because they run into financial or social barriers getting access to these basic but vital programs," Joy Phumaphi, vice president for human development at the World Bank and former health minister in Botswana, said, adding, "Their full and equal participation in development depends directly on accessing essential sexual and reproductive health care" (Wroughton, Reuters, 7/18).

The report is available online. Note: You need Adobe Acrobat to view this report.

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