Crowded planet

Population growth rates can be curbed

One year ago this month, the world's population reached an estimated 6 billion people. While developed nations' population growth rates have leveled in recent years, developing nations continue to struggle with population growth. Although some progress has been made, limited resources around the world insist population growth be limited. To ensure all people adequate water, food and shelter, the United States must continue to work with other developed nations to fund family planning programs around the world.

Like many international issues, funding for international family planning programs has become embroiled in domestic politics in recent years. In order to compel the Republican-led congress to pay overdue United Nations dues, President Clinton agreed to sign a bill which stipulated that the $385 million going to international family planning programs would not go to groups which support abortion or lobby to make abortion legal around the world. In exchange for slightly less money, Clinton waived this stipulation, resulting in the lowest funding for international family planning by the United States in years. The trend appears to be reversing itself however; pending congressional approval for spending in 2001, Clinton has proposed to fund the United States Agency for International Development and the U.N. Population Fund to the level they received in 1995 - $541.6 million.

There are a variety of studies that reinforce the importance and effectiveness of family planning. Only an estimated 270 million couples in developing countries use modern family planning methods and women reported in surveys in 55 countries that their desired family size is less than their actual family size. Surveys suggest that 10 to 40 percent of married woman in developing countries do not want more children but do not practice contraception for a variety of reasons. Whether simply the availability of information and condoms or the prohibitively high cost of oral contraception, family planning information and tools taken for granted in the U.S. are not readily available where they are needed the most: In the poorest nations.

Despite the continuing explosive growth of world population, there are reasons to be optimistic. Increased use of contraception has reduced fertility rates in developing countries from six children per family in the 1960s to three today - family planning programs are probably responsible for as much as 40 percent of this decline. And with congressional approval, the U.S. will reverse the decline in family planning funding. It is in the interest of this nation and the world to curb population growth.

Already the earth is beginning to show strain: Water tables around the world are declining in response to irrigation for agriculture and decreased population growth rates have been linked to economic prosperity. With adequate funding, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United Nations Population Fund and other organizations will be able to continue their work towards limiting population growth and achieving global sustainability.