Press releases
"Euromapping" Study: European family planning aid for poor countries falls
DSW calls on EU governments to reverse worrying trend
Brussels, 9 October 2007. European policy makers neglect family planning in their development aid, concludes a new study presented today by the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF). According to the latest available data, the share of family planning aid in total OECD population assistance fell from 30 to 9% between 2001 and 2004. This leaves millions of people suffering unnecessarily from maternal and infant deaths, unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. DSW today called upon EU governments to reverse this worrying trend.
"European governments proudly affirm their commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights - so what's happening to the funds for family planning?", asks MEP Anne Van Lancker. "Europe must do everything it can to stop poor women dying needlessly, by supporting family planning and reproductive health programmes in developing countries."
The drastic funding cut for family planning comes at a time when the largest youth population ever enters child-bearing years. This entrenches poverty in developing countries by creating a vicious circle: Deprived of access to family planning information and services, millions of teenagers and women leave school or paid employment because of an unwanted pregnancy.
Recent years also saw a shift towards increased funding for AIDS prevention and treatment at the expense of other forms of population assistance. "Fighting the AIDS pandemic is absolutely imperative - but policymakers must not forget that family planning is key to poverty reduction", states DSW Director of European Affairs, Karen Hoehn. "With ODA projections skyrocketing over the next few years, Europe can and must increase funding for family planning, reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS."
Especially in the run-up to the joint EU-Africa strategy, European governments should be held accountable not just for promises but actual disbursements. Euromapping is the only comprehensive study analysing EU development aid for population assistance. Additional highlights:
German Foundation for World Population (DSW)
Michael Alfons
2/3, Place du Luxembourg, 1050 Brussels
phone: +32 (0)2 504 90 63
email: michael.alfons@dsw-brussels.org
Euromapping fact sheet (PDF file, 271 KB)
Download the Euromapping study here (PDF file, 1,1 MB)
Note to the Editor:
Euromapping is a joint study by DSW and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development that scrutinises EU countries' development aid for population assistance and reproductive health (sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS, maternal death and disability, family planning, gender-based violence) - commitments and disbursements.
Interviews with the authors of the study will be gladly facilitated. The study is available online here. Interested journalists can also order hardcopies free of charge. For more information, please contact michael.alfons@dsw-brussels.org
The German Foundation for World Population (DSW) is an international development organisation. DSW helps young people in Africa and Asia to escape poverty by providing sexual and reproductive health information, services and supplies. In Germany and Europe it raises awareness about the close links between sustainable development, poverty, health, environmental protection and demographic trends.
DSW calls on EU governments to reverse worrying trend
Brussels, 9 October 2007. European policy makers neglect family planning in their development aid, concludes a new study presented today by the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF). According to the latest available data, the share of family planning aid in total OECD population assistance fell from 30 to 9% between 2001 and 2004. This leaves millions of people suffering unnecessarily from maternal and infant deaths, unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. DSW today called upon EU governments to reverse this worrying trend.
"European governments proudly affirm their commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights - so what's happening to the funds for family planning?", asks MEP Anne Van Lancker. "Europe must do everything it can to stop poor women dying needlessly, by supporting family planning and reproductive health programmes in developing countries."
The drastic funding cut for family planning comes at a time when the largest youth population ever enters child-bearing years. This entrenches poverty in developing countries by creating a vicious circle: Deprived of access to family planning information and services, millions of teenagers and women leave school or paid employment because of an unwanted pregnancy.
Recent years also saw a shift towards increased funding for AIDS prevention and treatment at the expense of other forms of population assistance. "Fighting the AIDS pandemic is absolutely imperative - but policymakers must not forget that family planning is key to poverty reduction", states DSW Director of European Affairs, Karen Hoehn. "With ODA projections skyrocketing over the next few years, Europe can and must increase funding for family planning, reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS."
Especially in the run-up to the joint EU-Africa strategy, European governments should be held accountable not just for promises but actual disbursements. Euromapping is the only comprehensive study analysing EU development aid for population assistance. Additional highlights:
- While European governments have committed to double development assistance by 2010, actual disbursements decreased from 2005-2006.
- While funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) increased 70%, funding for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) decreased.
German Foundation for World Population (DSW)
Michael Alfons
2/3, Place du Luxembourg, 1050 Brussels
phone: +32 (0)2 504 90 63
email: michael.alfons@dsw-brussels.org
Euromapping fact sheet (PDF file, 271 KB)
Download the Euromapping study here (PDF file, 1,1 MB)
Note to the Editor:
Euromapping is a joint study by DSW and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development that scrutinises EU countries' development aid for population assistance and reproductive health (sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS, maternal death and disability, family planning, gender-based violence) - commitments and disbursements.
Interviews with the authors of the study will be gladly facilitated. The study is available online here. Interested journalists can also order hardcopies free of charge. For more information, please contact michael.alfons@dsw-brussels.org
The German Foundation for World Population (DSW) is an international development organisation. DSW helps young people in Africa and Asia to escape poverty by providing sexual and reproductive health information, services and supplies. In Germany and Europe it raises awareness about the close links between sustainable development, poverty, health, environmental protection and demographic trends.
