Jan 7, 2010

Policy: Major Speech Will Restore US Support for Family Planning

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will deliver a major speech on Friday, January 8 to restore America’s commitment to universal family planning and reproductive health services. Her address marks the 15th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, when 179 nations reached historic agreement on a new plan to reduce infant, child, and maternal mortality around the world—by working toward global access to education, especially for girls, and voluntary family planning services for women.

The “Cairo Consensus” precipitated other key international commitments, including the Millennium Development Goals, and formed a new basis for population and development policies going forward. A premium has since been placed on meeting individual women and children’s needs, instead of demographic targets, through universal access to health and education services.  

And it’s working: effective and affordable reproductive health programs have improved millions of lives, prevented maternal and child deaths, and reduced the spread of HIV/AIDS. But much work remains to make family planning universally available. Let’s see what Secretary Clinton has to say.

Watch the event live beginning at 2:30 pm EST. A transcript and video will follow.

Posted by at 08:35 AM