Population news from April

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POPULATION MATTERS SUPPORTERS' UPDATE

APRIL 2021

Director's message

_250,000 additional maternal and child deaths, 4.3 million additional
unsafe abortions and 14.6 million additional unintended pregnancies._

These are the horrifying estimated consequences of the UK Government's
planned 85% cut to funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
announced this week.

Combined with planned cuts to girls' education, this despicable move will
inflict grave harm on millions of the most vulnerable girls and women.

The aid cuts are also in contradiction with the Prime Minister’s claim
that addressing climate change is "the UK’s foremost international
priority". According to major scientific initiative Project Drawdown,
empowering women and girls through universal access to education and safe,
modern family planning is one of the two most powerful solutions we have
available to us in limiting warming to 2°C. With climate change effects
falling hardest on the poorest communities, including women and girls, this
brutal and short-sighted cut will be a double blow.

You can read our press statement denouncing the aid cuts here [3]. PLEASE
JOIN US [4] IN URGING UK FOREIGN SECRETARY DOMINIC RAAB TO REVERSE THEM -
SEE TAKE ACTION BELOW.

- Robin Maynard, Director, Population Matters

TAKE ACTION

Demand the UK Government reverses the devastating aid cuts

Join us in urging the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to reverse the
harmful aid cuts to family planning and girls' education. We've set up an
e-action so you can write to him in two quick and easy steps. Thanks for
taking action!

Take action [4]

NEWS FROM POPULATION MATTERS

Our new briefings

On Earth Day, 22 April, Population Matters published two fully-referenced
reports drawing on over 50 scientific, peer-reviewed sources on the links
between population and climate change [5], and population and biodiversity
[6]. They provide all the evidence and arguments you need to make the
credible case for positive, empowering population solutions to help fight
the climate emergency and the sixth mass extinction.

Download the briefings [7]

Team expansion

This month, we were delighted to welcome our new Senior Campaigner, Andrew
Howard, and our new Empower to Plan Project Coordinator, Catriona
Spaven-Donn. We are also very pleased that our former Campaigner, Florence
Blondel, has temporarily returned to PM in a part-time capacity (from her
US base) as Outreach Coordinator. Our team is now bigger than ever before -
a great start to our 30th anniversary year!

Meet our team

New Patron: Judy Ling Wong

We're excited to announce the confirmation of Judy Ling Wong as a new
Population Matters Patron. Judy is a painter, poet and environmentalist,
best known as the Honorary President of Black Environment Network (BEN).

Meet our Patrons [8]

Busting the 'baby bust' myth

We were pleased to see the publication of our letter to _The Guardian_
exposing the false claims in Polly Toynbee’s disappointingly shortsighted
and narrow article 'Britain’s falling birthrate will damage our society'.


Read the letter [9]

POPULATION

Why protecting child health means ending population growth

Paediatrics expert Peter Le Souëf explains why unsustainable population
growth hurts children the most and calls for placing current and future
child welfare at the centre of the need to combat overpopulation.

Read more [10]

Still hot on the campaign trail: Jonathon Porritt

To celebrate Population Matters’ 30th anniversary year, activist Stella
Wright from our London group asked our President, Jonathon Porritt, some
searching questions about the population issue and the future.

Read more [11]

ENVIRONMENT

Three-quarters of population facing resource crisis

New research by our friends Global Footprint Network shows 72% of the
global population live in countries which have below average income and
can't meet their own resource needs domestically, increasing the risk of
resource scarcity and extreme poverty. Their statement also points out the
importance and benefits of encouraging smaller families.

Read more [12]

Only 3% of ecosystems intact

A new study published in _Frontiers in Forests and Global Change_ concludes
that only 3% of Earth's natural habitats remain undamaged by human
activities. The researchers found that many areas that can appear intact
from above have in fact lost a significant proportion of their native
wildlife compared to pristine wilderness.

Read more [13]

WOMEN'S RIGHTS & SEXUAL HEALTH

Child marriage in the US: Where is the outrage?

Girls as young as ten are legally getting married in the United States -
nearly 300,000 since 2000, according to a new report by Unchained At Last.
With no protective federal law in place, over 20 states allow for child
marriage at 16 years, and 10 have no age limit whatsoever. Population
Matters Outreach Coordinator Florence Blondel uncovers an ugly and
little-known truth.

Read more [14]

Breaking records, smashing barriers

We have some amazing Choice Champions among our supporters. Childfree
athlete and motivational coach Kate Strong is gearing up to attempt some
the world’s most gruelling physical challenges. She recounts how her
interest in the environment and women’s rights prompted her to become a
spokesperson for female empowerment in every sense of the word.

Read more [15]

Quote of the month

_"The fact that nearly half of women still cannot make their own decisions
about whether or not to have sex, use contraception or seek healthcare
should outrage us all. In essence, hundreds of millions of women and girls
do not own their own bodies. Their lives are governed by others. It is
nothing less than an annihilation of the spirit, and it must stop."_

- UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem on the new State of the World
Population [16] report

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Registered company no 3019081, Charity 1114109
© 2021 Population Matters

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