March 2010's Edition of
POPULATION ONLINE
Brings you stories on...

• President Proposes 10.3 Percent Increase in International Family Planning Assistance
  President Obama's budget for 2011 calls for a $67million increase in international family planning assistance, a 10.3 percent increase over the 2010 appropriation, but the requested funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) fell to $50 million, $5 million less than last year. While the proposed increase in funding for family planning was roughly in line with the proposed increase in the Administration's International Affairs budget, which includes spending for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, the $715.7 million request fell well short of the $1 billion level supported by the Population Institute and other international family planning advocates.
• During Beijing Plus 15 Observance, UN Announces New Women's Organization
  At the 54th Session (March 1-12) of the Commission on the Status of Women, the U.N. announced that it was consolidating four U.N. offices working on women's issues into a new entity, which has not yet been named. The new organization or entity is designed to increase international efforts on behalf of gender equality and women's empowerment. The four organizations being consolidated are the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, the Office for the Special Advisor on Gender Issues, and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women. The announcement has spurred speculation about who might head the new entity.
• Secretary of State Clinton Addresses the Commission on the Status of Women
  Also during the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talked about the Declaration and Platform for Action that was adopted at the 1994 conference in Beijing. Despite the progress that has been made, she warned that there is still much to be done: We have to write the next chapter to fully realize the dreams and potential that we set forth in Beijing. Because for too many millions and millions of girls and women, opportunity remains out of reach. Women are still the majority of the world's poor, the uneducated, the unhealthy, the unfed. In too many places, women are treated not as full and equal human beings with their own rights and aspirations, but as lesser creatures undeserving of the treatment and respect accorded to their husbands, their fathers, and their sons.
• 40th Anniversary of Earth Day Approaches
  April 22, 2010, will mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. In preparation for this year's observance, environmental groups around the U.S. are gearing up to warn the public that "the world is in greater peril than ever." The largest U.S. celebration will be in Washington, D.C. on the nation's mall, where hundreds of organizations will set up exhibits. Dozens of artists will perform during the week long celebration (April 17-25) that is expected to attract hundreds of thousands people. As part of this year's celebration, individuals, businesses, and communities around the country are being asked to register and perform one billion "acts of green."
• World Water Day
  This year's observance of World Water Day, which took place on March 22, generated a renewed focus on the problems of water scarcity. The theme of this year's observance, "Clean Water for a Healthy Planet," emphasized the critical role that safe water plays in reducing mortality and improving health outcomes in developing countries. With many developing countries already suffering from severe water shortages, population pressures will exacerbate efforts aimed at addressing the problem.
• 2nd Annual "Global Population Speak Out" Held
  During the month of February, the Population Institute asked leading scientists, academicians and environmental leaders to "speak out" on population and environmental sustainability as part of the second annual "Global Population Speak Out" (GPSO). Nearly 400 people responded to the invitation. The participants, who spanned six continents and 39 nations, were asked to speak out publicly on population in the popular media. GPSO participants made their voices heard in dozens of radio talk shows and interviews, and in print publications ranging from the New York Times to the Huffington Post and the International Herald Tribune.