Empowering Women and Girls: The Essential Role of Family Planning in Building a Sustainable Future

Last month, I wrote about FP2020, a collaboration that provided family planning to 46 million women across rich and poor countries. Its successor, FP2030, is continuing this important work with new approaches.

The Margaret Pyke Trust, one of the nonprofits involved, is connecting population growth to the decline of biodiversity. They are not just acknowledging this issue; they are actively addressing it.

Programs that link population, health, and environment (PHE) already exist. Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, the first wildlife veterinarian in Uganda, discusses this in her book, “Walking with Gorillas.” Rapid human population growth threatens wildlife habitats and can transfer diseases from humans to animals. For example, scabies can be passed to gorillas. In response, she started a PHE program that offers health care, contraception, and environmental education to local farmers.

Years ago, I learned about another PHE project along the Amazon River. This program provided health services despite logistical challenges since transportation was mainly by boat. A unique family planning initiative offered long-acting contraceptives through a mobile clinic, making care accessible to women living far from health services.

The Margaret Pyke Trust’s new campaign, “Thriving Together,” has gained the support of over 150 organizations. This initiative emphasizes that family planning is vital not only for women but also for protecting the environment. The Trust’s leader pointed out that obstacles to accessing family planning are significant environmental challenges that often go overlooked.

It’s encouraging to see organizations acknowledging the impact of overpopulation on the environment. Unfortunately, many once-active groups in the U.S. have shifted their focus away from this crucial issue, leaving the Center for Biological Diversity as one of the few actively engaged in population and sustainability efforts.

While the Margaret Pyke Trust won’t be offering direct clinical services under FP2030, their impact might be more substantial by working with governments to shape policies. They plan to assist countries committed to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, aiming to integrate reproductive health into biodiversity plans.

A key goal of this initiative is to educate thousands in biodiversity and climate fields about reproductive choices. By partnering with international organizations, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, they are bringing attention to reproductive health in areas that traditionally have not considered it.

One promising aspect of the Trust’s approach is its focus on dismantling barriers to family planning without pressuring individuals into contraception. This sensitive strategy could help address the ongoing extinction crisis effectively.

Richard Grossman, M.D., is a retired obstetrics-gynecology physician based in the Bayfield area. Read more of his insights on his blog at population-matters.org.

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