<font size=5>Population, Family Planning, <br>& Ecology News Digest<br>Archives January - April 2003</font> of WOA!! World Population Awareness

U.S.: Cost of Contraception. May 2003 Patrick Burns
The rhetoric and rationale that the drug companies have developed for price-gouging Americans in general and seniors in particular is all bunk. PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturer's Association would not debate the relative costs of drugs in Canada and the USA, as they simply have no defense. While litigation is a major factor in IUDS (the Dalkon Shield came out when these things were barely regulated at all), it is not a big factor in prescription drug costs in general. Drug prices are NOT based on litigation costs or development costs, but on profiteering. Contraceptive pills are half the cost in Canada as they are in the U.S. The same as for other prescription drugs. rw The author, as Communications Director for the National Council of Senior Citizens (now the Alliance for Retired Americans), helped research the CBS News Sixty Minutes story (with Mike Wallace) on drug prices.

US California: Rise in Otter Deaths Puts Experts on Alert. April 30, 2003 Los Angeles Times
An increase in dead sea otters on California beaches has wildlife officials scrambling for possible reasons. 44 had been found from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, the previous high was 29. This year's death toll has grown so dramatically that wildlife officials see new urgency in finding answers. Many of the animals died from infectious diseases and parasites, and a few fatally injured when struck by boats. For several years, the southern sea otter population off California has hovered at about 2,150, protected by the Endangered Species Act since 1977. A sustainable sea otter population could be as high as 8,400. The northern sea otter has always thrived and now numbers about 100,000. Scientists concede that lower human population in that area could be part of the answer. The sea otter habitat is becoming short on food but officials dismiss any suggestion they are starving to death. About 25% of the deaths are from disease spread by feral cats and cat litter dumped into sewage systems. A worm infestation found in sand crabs, part of the sea otter diet, is another major cause. In the late 1980s, officials moved 140 sea otters from the Monterey area to San Nicolas Island 60 miles off the Ventura County coast, any otters that strayed would be herded back to San Nicolas. Some swam back to the Channel Islands others to Mexico and San Diego but the federal government hasn't returned them. Sea otters stay close to shore because they cannot forage in more than 100 feet. Fishermen are fighting an idea that would allow the sea otter to spread along the entire California coast. rw

Abortion vs Contraception. April 29, 2003 Patrick Burns
Across the globe, 133 million births occur annually, as well as an estimated 46 million induced abortions, meaning that about 25% of all pregnancies end in abortion. The U.S. follows this pattern. Research by the Population Council makes a convincing case that an increase in contraception decreases the number of abortions. Abortion has been legal in the U.S. for 30 years, thus if we are going to achieve a decline in the rate of U.S. population growth it is not going to be by abortion, but by either tackling immigration and/or increasing contraception. A number of Americans use no contraception, use contraception irregularly or improperly, or use contraceptive systems that have high failure rates. What if one-tenth of the energy put into the abortion debate (on both sides) had gone into educating people about the methods of contraception available and improving the level of access? We've all seen pro-choice and anti-choice ads at one time or another. Anyone seen an ad that tells the failure rate of condoms or diaphragms? An ad for over-the-counter emergency contraception or an ad touting a reversible form of birth control that lasts 10 years at a crack? The good news is that a change may be in the works. Emergency contraception will eventually lead to over-the-counter birth control pills. It can't happen soon enough. rw

US Colorado: High and Dry. April 29, 2003 Grist Magazine
Colorado is suffering a three-year drought. The average snowpack was half of normal, and streams the lowest in 100 years. The majority of the water comes from the Western Slope of the Rockies and the drought is responsible for development constraints, wildfires, declining tourism, and some of the state's $900 million deficit. Municiple officials say there is no way around building new reservoirs and diversion pipelines. Environmentalists claim this could cost billions and wreak havoc on rivers and forests; they claim the needs can met through reduced consumption. The state government believes that the long-term issue is storage, because they can't store all the water they are entitled to. Enough to supply 2 million families flow out of the state, much of the lost water leaves through the Colorado River and is used by Arizona and California. State officials and developers are backing the Colorado Aqueduct Return Project, that entails building a 200-mile long pipeline to pump Colorado River water to the Front Range to be recycled. The river would then carry a stream of used water to farms and towns on the Western Slope. The pipeline would cost at least $5 billion. To West Slope communities and environmentalists, the project is absurd. The legislature approved $500,000 for a study, but the project could be derailed due to its price and environmental impact. A state bond issue exists for water projects and cities can purchase existing rights from farmers for less money than any new development. The lack of provisions such as requiring that conservation measures be considered before any new development may encourage towns to build dams and reservoirs. Colorado's environmental organizations promote "Smart Storage" and "Smart Supply" instead of new development and say conservation goals can meet Front Range water needs over the next 40 years. But the legislature balked at conservation. Agriculture accounts for 85% of water use and bills to enable the sharing of agricultural water with thirsty cities are in the state legislature. rw

The Hyde Hyde HIV/AIDS Bill on the House Floor April 31 and a Video of Bush on HIV/AIDS and Condoms. April 29, 2003 C-Span/Patrick Burns
For those of you that missed President Bush's speech on HIV/AIDS, it can be seen via RealPlayer from C-Span at http://video.c-span.org:8080/ramgen/kdrive/e042903_aids.rm?end=:17:00.0 or at C-Span.org. This is a pretty big file.

In his speech, Bush says: "Since January 1, 2001 we have increased U.S. funding to fight HIV overseas by almost 100% .... but we must do far more."

For those that think Bush cannot actually say the word "condoms" without passing out, this video is certainly worth viewing!

If a Democrats had launched this effort, we would be cheering pretty loudly. Because it was launched by a Republican is no reason to be silent now. Please send a letter to your Representative and Senator in support of this legislation -- and a note of thanks to the White House.

Rather unbelievably, the Bush Administration is also proposing the largest single increase in U.S. development assistance in U.S. history. Who would have ever imagined?

As a final note, the Hyde HIV/AIDS bill is the only item on the House agenda tomorrow. For those of you that want to see a little history in the making, this should provide that opportunity.

For the die-hard political junkies on this list that want a complete program for tomorrow's floor action, the debate rules (with timing, debate order, and links to all amendments) can be read at: http://www.house.gov/rules/108rule1298.htm

US California: Lettuce Study This More. April 28, 2003 Los Angeles Times
A toxic chemical used in rocket fuel was found in four lettuce samples purchased at Northern California grocery stores. The lettuce, contaminated with perchlorate, was traced to farms that irrigate their crops with Colorado River water in Southern California and Arizona. The water has been contaminated by military and industrial activity. An average serving contained four times the level considered safe in drinking water, though not enough research has been done to determine how much in the diet would be dangerous. EWG is calling for a study of perchlorate in the food stream and to clean up military sites. rw

U.S.: Brockovich Files Pollution Claims Against Beverly Hills School. April 28, 2003 San Diego Union-Tribune
Erin Brockovich and attorneys filed 25 claims against Beverly Hills school district, alleging that former students got cancer from being exposed to toxic fumes from an on-campus oil field. Brockovich, said up to 300 claims could eventually be filed for students who attended between 1975 to 1997 and have been treated for Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's or thyroid cancer. It is believed that an oil rig under the athletic fields emitted high levels of cancer-causing chemicals. Beverly Hills Unified School District and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, have disputed the findings. The oil rig produces about 450 barrels of oil and 400,000 cubic feet of natural gas a day. The law firm says tests conducted in and around the athletic fields found high levels of benzene, toluene and h-hexene, byproducts of the oil industry. The school's cancer rate is said to be 20 to 30 times above the national average. rw

US California: Sprawl: Open-Space Group Targets 6,000 Acres. April 28, 2003 Los Angeles Times
Open-space advocates successfully fought the measure to allow construction of 1,390 homes in the hills above Ventura. They have established a nonprofit conservancy to acquire 6,000 acres and backers met to discuss raising the money to purchase the hills and canyons they hope to spare from development. The landowner wants to sell the land and is willing to meet with conservancy officials to discuss a deal. The conservancy is an offshoot of last fall's campaign that challenged some 300 landowners who tried to persuade voters to permit home building in exchange for setting aside 80% of 3,800 acres for parks, trails and open space. rw

India: World's Wettest Area Dries Up. April 28, 2003 BBC News
The Khasi Hills, in north-east India, usually experience more than 1,000 inches of rain each year and has two of the world's wettest places: Cherrapunji and Mawsynram. But Cherrapunji is drying up because of increases in pollution and deforestation. Residents have received less and less rain over the years and long rows of trucks loaded with drums of water can be seen travelling up to Cherrapunji from the plains. A bucket of water costs six or seven rupees during the winter. Ten years ago clouds were clinging to the mountains and it was raining. This year there is bright sunshine and no rain. Since Meghalaya became a separate state, there has been a rise in deforestation in the area and environmentalists agree that the loss of forest cover around Cherrapunji is more serious than ever. In 1960, Cherrapunji had 7,000 people. Now, there are 15 times that number and a cement plant a few kilometres away, was built 20 years ago. The cement plant polluted the environment and added to the population pressure. If there are more people, the pressure on the forests will increase. rw

Iraq: After the War / Fearing the Future; Women Fear Their Rights Will End with Hussein Era. April 27, 2003 Los Angeles Times
Many Iraqi women are happy about the end of Saddam Hussein's rule, but worry that the change could lead to erosion of women's freedoms. Iraqi women have enjoyed personal liberty undreamed of in neighboring nations but there is a growing sense that the power vacuum will be filled by Muslims who may seek to impose the conservative mores of Iraq's Shiite-dominated south. Hussein presided over a repressive police state, but his socialist-minded Baath Party provided women with professional and educational opportunities. There have been signs that the American-backed transitional government will protect women's rights but Iraq, like any Muslim country has conservatism and the new government will have to reflect that. Hussein's government was similar to the former Soviet Union, with women's rights enshrined in party doctrine. Iraqi women were afforded some opportunities, but women ministers, members of parliament and a high-ranking women in the Baath Party, were all handpicked loyalists. Rural women shared few of the gains. Most are mired in poverty. Virtually none work outside the home, marriages are arranged. Already, in these early postwar days, some women say they are seeing signs that they might be relegated to a more restricted role. rw

India: New Delhi to Harvest Rain. April 27, 2003 Washington Post
Thousands of unauthorized wells in New Delhi have caused groundwater levels to drop alarmingly. But a solution may be to collect monsoon rains and pipe them underground to recharge depleted aquifers. The inexpensive technique has been successfully applied in five pilot projects. The water authority estimates daily demand at 850 million gallons, yet the system delivers 650 million gallons, of which 12% comes from groundwater. To government has installed hundreds of hand pumps, but most have gone dry due dropping water levels. Government officials promise relief, with the completion of a new dam and treatment facility. But the city adds 500,000 people year, improvements will be outstripped by demand and groundwater supplies will be depleted by 2020. People have long collected the monsoon rains, archaeologists have unearthed colection structures dating to the third millennium B.C. Modern rainwater harvesting involves channeling water from rooftops or storm drains into sand-lined underground boxes called "soak pits." Water that would otherwise run off then percolates through the soil, replenishing natural aquifers several hundred feet below the surface. The project has been so successful that in affluent Panchshila Parkthat the water table has risen three feet in less than a year. rw

US New Jersey: Sprawl: Water Regulation to Face Legal Battle. April 27, 2003 Star-Ledger
Gov. James E. McGreevey announced a curb on development around 15 bodies of water, including nine reservoirs, but it will have to survive a court of law. Builders are challenging. Both sides agree that the stakes of the expected court battle are enormous. If builders lose, McGreevey could give teeth to the "smart-growth" map he unveiled in January. The new rule designated nine reservoirs and six streams as Category One (C1)water bodies and nothing can be discharged into them that worsens the water quality. This would make subdivisions, more difficult to build. The state will propose C1 status for 40 more bodies of water. If C1 becomes widespread it can wipe out all available land for development. Builders have been successful in court battles at thwarting the water quality regulations, including strict septic tank and wetlands rules. Land-use planning has been the province of the Department of Community Affairs which expects a challenge from builders. Builders could also challenge each designation. Barring some procedural mistake by the DEP, builders would have to show that the rule is "arbitrary and capricious" to have it overturned. rw

Indonesia: Cheap Coffee 'Threatens Wildlife'. April 27, 2003 BBC News
Overproduction of the coffee beans used in instant coffee may contribute to the loss of animals in Sumatra. Areas of Indonesian forest being cut for coffee plantations increased by 28% between 1996 and 2001. 70% of Lampung's coffee production occurs inside and adjacent to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park -one of the strongholds of Sumatran tigers, elephants and rhinoceros. Their populations are declining due to the loss of their forest home. Deforestation rates within the Park were shown to be directly related to the price of coffee paid to farmers. Throughout the 1990s, coffee production accelerated while prices plummeted. The demand for coffee continued and it was the second leading export product from developing countries, and the US the biggest importer. Despite recent low prices, Indonesia has announced plans to expand coffee production in Lampung that will result in increased threats to large mammals. Higher yields of quality coffee that can be grown among indigenous shrubs and trees would allow a reduction in acreage while boosting prices. Large mammals avoid forest boundaries and are affected by deforestation. Compared with mining or rearing livestock, coffee cultivation is eco-friendly. rw

Trinidad: One Hundred UN Volunteers to Serve in Health Service . April 26, 2003 Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)
The Trinidad and Tobago health sector is to have 100 U.N. volunteers, as a doctors' sick-out affects the state run hospitals. The program, will provide specialized doctors working for a stipend not exceeding local doctors. They come from Commonwealth countries and are approved by the WHO, with an initial three year contract. The government had no choice with a shortage of 200 doctors. It is claimed that the health authorities were procrastinating on negotiations to justify bringing in foreign doctors. The major health facilities, including the three main hospitals, have been operating in emergency mode since 9 April due to a shortage of junior doctors, whose contracts expired last December. A number of senior doctors have also reported sick in solidarity with the junior doctors. We want to provide our service, because this is our country, they claim, but if we are forced out many of us will go. But following Thursday's Cabinet meeting the govt; said that what they are offering the doctors is reasonable. rw

House Vote on Major Family Planning Bill. April 25, 2003 Patrick Burns
The House International Relations Committee has endorsed HIV/AIDS legislation which exceeds that which President Bush asked for in his State of the Union message. It authorizes $15 billion for overseas HIV/AIDS, $3 billion a year for five years, and earmarks a greater percentage for the global AIDS fund. Most of the HIV/AIDS money will go to countries in sub-Saharan Africa where condoms are an important part of slowing HIV. The Bush White House has greenlighted inclusion of condoms in the bill. rw

Emergency Contraception - Behind the Confusion and How it is Available in the Bathroom of 27% of All Women Using Contraception

The Yutzpe Method

General instructions: Take one dose every 12 hours for 24 hours, discard the last 7 pills in a 28-pill pack as they do not contain any hormones. If you are using Triphasil, Tri-Levlen, or Trivora, use only the correct color of pills that are noted below.

Source: Trussell J, Koenig J, Ellertson C, Stewart F. Preventing unintended pregnancy: the cost-effectiveness of three methods of emergency contraception. American Journal of Public Health 1997;87(6):932-937.

Please note that the FDA has explicitly declared that the brands of birth control pills listed above are safe and effective for use as emergency contraceptives. These protocols work!

Confusion among pharmacists and the lay public is widespread, and those in the family planning movement are at least partly to blame. Some incredibility is due to the fact that: in the early 1980s and 1990s, RU-486 (now called the abortion pill) was refered to as 'emergency contraception' and not abortion, leading to confusion as to what we now call 'Emergency Contraception' really is, which is OTC abortion. At the very same time that this was going on, there was little effort to educate women about the use of regular birth control pills as emergency contraception. RU-486 is new to the U.S., but taking massive doses of birth control pills is NOT new. The Yutzpe method (developed 20-25 years ago by Dr. Al Yutzpe), when using the most commonly available birth control pills in the U.S., are that two doses should be taken, 12 hours apart, and within 72 hours of having sex. Like the Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, most women already have access to emergency contraception. Just as the shoes on her feet got Dorothy home, so too can the birth control pills already in her cabinet (or in her friend's cabinet) get her out of the trouble she is in if a condom breaks or she has a serious lapse of judgment. For more information, see: http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecpuse.html April 25, 2003 Patrick Burns

From Personal Experience. April 25, 2003
My thirty-one year old son was the result of not taking the pill on the last day of the pill cycle. It never occured to me to take two pills to make up for having missed the one - but I would have, had I known. My marriage was beginnig to fail around that time.

Twenty-three years ago my last child was an IUD baby - but there would have no way of knowing that it fell out. Around the same time my sister spontaneously aborted a three month IUD fetus.

If it were not for abortion, I would have had another child about 28 years ago because of pill failure. Abortion is not an experience I would care to repeat and the father of my last child would not have agreed to.

Had I know it was an option, emergency contraception would have saved me from three births or two births and one abortion.

I did have one birth due to a planned pregnancy and probably would have continued with one of the other (unplanned) pregnancies even if emergency contraception had been an option.

Conservation Costs, but Inaction Costs More: Development Has Taken Its Toll on Hong Kong�s Beautiful Harbour, Rolling Green Hills and Air Quality. April 22, 2003 Push newsfeed
Hong Kong�s green spaces offer habitat to a diversity of wildlife and in 1974 set aside 40% of its land for conservation and recreation. However, many areas of high ecological value are outside the parks. Wetlands, woodlands, streams, and marine and intertidal habitats are being destroyed. The department in charge of conservation is underresourced, lacking leadership and is unwilling to restrict development. In this year�s agenda, the chief executive pledged to consider a rating system for ecological values in various locations. The government expropriates land for roads, reservoirs and new towns, it has never considered conservation a public purpose. The conservation value of Hong Kong�s natural resources could be as much as HK$ 6.5 billion annually. Ecotourism could increase Hong Kong tourist receipts by HK$ 4.3 billion a year. rw

China Marks 34th Earth Day with Focus on Resources Protection. April 22, 2003 Xinhua General News Service
China marked the 34th World Earth Day with a theme of "treat the earth better, better protect resources". China's resources are being used with a low utilizing rate and the ecological environment has deteriorated due to increased attention to economic development, to the neglect of environmental protection. China's arable acreage is shrinking - the per-capita farmland area was 0.097 hectares in China. China is a major mining production and consumption nation, but the country now suffers a shortage of mining resources. Water resources are also shrinking as the country has had to supply water to its 1.3 billion people - 20% of the world's population - with only 8% of the world's freshwater. rw

Nonprescription Sale Sought for Contraceptive; Petition to FDA to Offer 'Morning After' Pill Over the Counter Could Become Entangled in Abortion Debate. April 21, 2003 Washington Post
The makers of the emergency contraceptive "Plan B" are petitioning the F.D.A. to sell it without a prescription. If approved, it would be the first "morning after" contraceptive to be sold over the counter. This could become entangled in the abortion debate although the makers say their product prevents conception, rather than aborting. An easily avalable emergency contraceptive could reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions by half. Plan B uses progestin to interfere with fertilization and is usually effective within 72 hours after intercourse, but its ability to prevent pregnancy diminishes by 50% over the first 12 hours. Some antiabortion groups are opposed to their use and some silent. FDA officials have said it will take about 10 months to review their application. The treatment was restricted to rape-crisis centers until the late 1990s, when two morning-after pills were approved by the FDA for use with a doctor's prescription. Plan B's cost would remain about $27 a dose. rw

EU Plans Clean Water Fund for Poor Countries. April 21, 2003 Xinhua General News Service
The EU intends to set up a fund to provide assistance and financing for water projects in developing countries. The EU would not seek to compete with the small-scale water projects or private sector developments. It would promote initiatives and provide information and, as a last resort, lend money. The fund should provide the link in the financing of sustainable projects. More than 430 million live in nations facing widespread water shortages. Population growth will lead to a fivefold increase in the number of people with access to less than 1,700 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year. Oxfam says water-related diseases kill more than 5 million people every year and 2.3 billion suffer from diseases linked to dirty water. rw

India: Hindustan Latex, Limited to Test-Market Condoms for Women. April 21, 2003 The Economic Times (India)
Hindustan Latex, Limited (HLL) will initiate its female condom research study in Maharashtra. The programme, is targeted at three groups, commercial sex workers (CSW), homosexuals and married couples. The female condoms are an option to the condoms for men. They contribute to protection against sexually transmitted diseases. The main objective is to promote protected sex. Priced at Rs 35 a proposal has been submitted for a government subsidy which would result in a rate of Rs 5 a piece. With financial constraints, it will be too early to know if the state government will offer subsidy. A pilot study was conducted in July 2002 with a success rate of 80%. rw

U.N. Appealing for $84 Million in Emergency Humanitarian Aid to Haiti. April 21, 2003 Associated Press
The U.N. is appealing for US $84 million to confront poverty in Haiti. International donors have withheld US $500 million since flawed elections swept in President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's governing party. The economic situation in Haiti has worsened as the government and opposition have been at loggerheads on new elections that Aristide has pledged. So far, no commitments have been made by international donors. The funds are channeled exclusively through private aid groups. Some US $146 million in Inter-American Development Bank loans have been freed, but Haiti first must pay some US $24 million in arrears. Haiti's government has criticized donors for withholding aid that Aristide has called "economic terrorism." 56% of Haitians suffer from malnutrition. rw

Too Much Junk in Junk Cars. April 21, 2003 Philadelphia Inquirer
A growing portion of the American car is plastic, often too much trouble to recycle. There's no way to separate it or no vendor who would want that material, so it goes to the landfill. The residue from the shredder, contains plastic, foam, glass, dirt, and nonferrous metals such as copper and aluminum, up to 25% of the weight of a car, up to five million tons a year. The metals can be sold but plastics can be made more cheaply from raw materials. The E.U.has mandated that by 2006, 80% of junked cars must be reused or recycled, rising to 85% in 2015. By 2005, new vehicles must be reusable or recyclable at a minimum of 85% by weight. U.S. automakers have worked to solve the problem by developing technologies to separate plastics after old cars are shredded. They also can design their new cars with fewer plastics that are more easily separated. Proponents note that plastics don't rust, and cost less. DaimlerChrysler's focuses on how to separate types of plastics. A single technology is not a complete solution to the problem. Then there's the option of turning the waste into energy by simply burning the plastics But that can have problems, especially if the plastics are contaminated. Cars should be designed with the end of use in mind. rw

Immigrants Help Steady Big-City Populations. April 17, 2003
This article claims that immigrants helped to stabilize the big-city centers, while people continued to push out the metropolitan fringes. Rockwall County, Texas, east of Dallas, was the fastest growing, Atlanta and Washington also had big gains. Los Angeles County added 118,000 immigrants while losing 83,000 residents. The 2000 census showed that emigration from Mexico helped Chicago reverse a decline in population. The largest urban counties had little or no growth, suburban counties in the West and South dominated the list of fastest-growing areas. The United States had 288.4 million residents last July, up 1.1 percent from 2001. rw While immigrants are willing to cram themselves in - big families or several families to a unit, they drive up the demand for city housing and prices go up. Native borns are usually not willing to settle for the lower standard of living at higher prices and the previous residents move out to the suburbs because that is the only housing left that they can afford.

Safeguarding Wildlife: a Wise Investment. April 20, 2003 Bob Perciasepe, National Audubon Society
One hundred years ago, the population of California was less than 2 million. By 1950, it was 10 million and since then it has tripled. Bob Perciasepe of the National Audubon Society says: "As human numbers have soared in California, forests have fallen to farms, and farms have fallen to freeway. As human populations have exploded, habitats worldwide have been profoundly altered." 50 years ago Mono Lake, 300 miles NE of Los Angeles, was home to nearly a million ducks, today fewer than 20,000. Freshwater diversions for Los Angeles have the lake 40% increasing salinity and reducing the life it can support. In Tanzania, the changing chemistry of Lake Natron threatens the only breeding ground of East Africa's lesser flamingos. In Central and South America, farms and roads have been burned and bulldozed into once pristine forests and 50% of migrant bird species that winter there are in decline. The population explosion over the last 50 years is killing them. President Bush is increasing U.S. aid to poor countries by $5 billion over the next three years but has yet to earmark any for contraceptives. Family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost and would benefit wildlife. rw

AIDS Ravages Rwanda. April 19, 2003 BBC News
Every 14 seconds, AIDS turns a child into an orphan. The average life expectancy in Rwanda is 49 and one in six children die before they reach five. About a million people were massacred in the genocide in 1994. Over 11% of the population have HIV or AIDS. Many of the women got HIV when they were raped the militia during the war. Children were orphaned by the genocide and now by AIDS. A charity called Hope and Homes for Children has set up a project to help support the orphans. They keep family units together, sending the children to school and providing food and shelter. In 2003 they will be working with 452 children in Rwanda and plan to grow the number significantly in the next few years. rw

Senate OKs Bill vs Trafficking of Women, Kids. April 17, 2003 Inquirer, Philippine Daily
A measure that will criminalize the act of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, locally or internationally, has been approved on the Senate in the Philippines. Trafficking is defined as the "recruitment, transfer, provision, harboring, receipt or deployment of person for the purpose of forced labor, slavery, sexual exploitation, involuntary servitude, debt bondage, physical and other forms of abuse, removal or sale of organs or involvement in armed activities or other similar acts." The Act provides for a penalty from 20 years to life imprisonment and fine from P1 million to 5 million. rw

Indonesia's Infant Mortality Rate Rises. April 17, 2003 Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Indonesia's infant mortality rate has risen to 51 babies per 1,000 births. The post-natal maternal mortality rate has increased from 325 women per 100,000 births in 1997 to 396 mothers per 100,000 births in 2001. Experts blamed the economic crisis which has limited access to health services. Indonesia's health budget has been reduced, while the number of people living under the poverty line has increased due to growing unemployment and underemployment. rw

'Safe' Lead Levels Lower IQ in Children. April 17, 2003 Los Angeles Times
Lead blood levels 10 micrograms per deciliter below current federal and international guidelines produce a drop in IQ of up to 7.4 points. It is estimated that one in every 50 children has levels above that guideline and one in every 10 has levels of 5 micrograms/deciliter or above, within the dangerous range. There is no safe level of exposure. We have to take the lead out of houses built before 1950 that have lead-based paints. Exposure also comes from folk medicines and Mexican ceramic pottery. Low levels of lead delay puberty in young girls, especially African Americans and Latinas as it interfers with hormonal processes. Higher levels of lead reduce intelligence, slow development and can lead to behavioral problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continued to reduce the allowable level to the current 10 mcg/dl in 1991, about 100 parts per billion. The average lead level in children is about 3mcg/dl, but that's 10 to 100 times higher than the level in preindustrial humans. rw

Pollutants Dip 5% From 1995 to 2000. April 17, 2003 Associated Press
Pollution in North America dropped 5% between 1995 and 2000, according to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, established under the North American Free Trade Agreement. Two of the trends are a 28% drop in the chemicals emitted into the air and a 41% increase in the chemicals sent to landfills. In 2000, the total amount of pollution was 3.6 million tons -- 1.5 million tons going into the air, water or ground. More than 1 million tons went to recycling and the rest for treatment, energy recovery or disposal. Electric utilities, steel mills, chemical makers and other industries in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Canada's Ontario accounted for a fourth of the continent's pollutants. The five facilities reporting the largest total releases were Kennecott Utah Copper in Magna, Utah; Chemical Waste Management in Arlington, Oregon; ASARCO Inc. in East Helena, Montana and Hayden Arizona; and Magnesium Corp. of America in Rowley, Utah. 14% of the pollution were chemicals such as styrene, lead, chromium and their compounds, known or suspected carcinogens. rw

Denver Limits Lawn Watering for 1.2 Million Customers . April 17, 2003 Associated Press
Denver has restricted outdoor watering. The rules allow residents to water two hours twice a week. The Water Board has imposed surcharges on residents who use excess water. Commercial users and city parks must reduce water consumption to 70% of 2001 usage. Golf courses must cut consumption in half. Denver's reservoirs were at 44% capacity Wednesday. Levels could increase to 79% percent by July 1 with runoff from the snowpack, if spring precipitation is average. The estimate is 66% if this spring is dry. rw

President Bush Signs into Law Increases in Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding April 17, 2003 In FY03, new federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs came through the omnibus appropriations bill, signed by President Bush on February 20, 2003. This new funding, in addition to AFLA, Title V, and SPRANS, was accomplished by way of individual earmarks and amounts to $3.75 million. Most of this amount-$3.15 million-is allocated to individual programs in Pennsylvania and was secured by U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, the same subcommittee that controls SPRANS and AFLA funding. The remaining amount is split among two abstinence-only organizations and one conservative organization that promotes abstinence-only programs.

Where in the World? . April 17, 2003 Patrick Burns
The average American has never heard of Shandong that has a population as big as Mexico. Guangdong / Hainan have a population as big as Germany. Anhui has a population as big as Italy. Hubei has a population as big as France. Liaoning has a population as big as Spain. Shanxi has a population as big as Canada. Tianjin has a population as big as Sweden. Ningxia has a population as big as Finland. All are in China. Falling birth rates have slowed population growth, but momentum continues to increase the population. India's population growth rate is twice that of China and is expected to overtake China's within the next 30 years. rw

On Earth Day, the Water News Is Bad. April 17, 2003 Scripps Howard News Service
1 in 5 people don't have safe drinking water and every year 5 million people die from waterborne diseases. The world's governments have pledged to cut the number without safe drinking water in half by 2015. Global water supplies are falling, while the demand is growing at an unsustainable rate. More likely than wars between nations are internal instability and violence by downstream users denied water. China and India have both experienced water riots. There are 2,878 cubic miles of polluted rivers worldwide and 2.5 billion people lack access to sanitation. Water-related diseases claim an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children each day. More than 20% of freshwater fish species are endangered. 70% of the world's freshwater is consumed each day by agriculture. Some of the world's key aquifers are being overpumped and when irrigation is scaled back, crop yields will decline and food prices rise. - Population pressures are pushing water utilities to sell their systems to private water companies or build expensive new projects to meet demand. Experiments in privatization of water systems have been controversial. Changes in Earth's climate have resulted in more intense rainy seasons, longer dry seasons, stronger storms, shifts in rainfall and rising sea levels. rw

Why China�s Health Matters to the World. April 16, 2003
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has quickly spread from Guangdong

to Hong Kong and beyond, illustrating China's increasing economic and

social interdependence with the region and the entire planet. Mainland

China has become East Asia's engine of growth. Now more than ever before Chinese enjoy freedom of movement in their country while millions of travellers visit and millions of Chinese travel abroad. A strategic transit point for commerce, Hong Kong has reaped great benefits. Now the price is being paid for mainland China's underdeveloped and opaque public health system. In the years of 'gaige kaifang' (reform and opening up) its admirable public health system has deteriorated to the point of being ill-prepared to cope with rapidly emerging diseases such as SARS, hepatitis and HIV/Aids. The slow reaction by medical authorities to the SARS threat happened in a political environment where individual initiative is discouraged and social stability is protected above other interests, in addition to outdated laws (i.e. the State Secrets Law) that prevent effective communication about emerging epidemics. Only the Ministry of Health in Beijing can announce the existence of an epidemic. Other emerging infectious diseases throughout the mainland have demonstrated the inability of the public health system to deal with them. Social services are inadequate to non -existent in rural areas where most of the population resides. While SARS has already had an immense, immediate economic impact on the economy of the region, the long term impacts of ill-preparedness will be much greater. One million Chinese are infected by HIV/Aids and 170 million have hepatitis B, a disease for which there is a vaccine. A vast improvement in medical capacity is

necessary to maintain China's steep economic growth rates.

Harmful Algae Blooms Linked to Population Growth. April 16, 2003 Associated Press
The toxin in littleneck clams from northwest of Bainbridge Island increased fivefold from the 1970s to the '90s as the population of Kitsap County increased 87%. More people mean more fertilizer, sewage and animal waste flowing into Puget Sound, providing rich nutrients for algae. Clams, mussels, oysters, geoducks and pink scallops filter algae from seawater, producing toxins. When people eat infected shellfish, the neurotoxin can cause breathing difficulties, nausea, paralysis and death. The relationship between algae blooms and human activities remains unclear. Algae require nitrogen and other nutrients, but it is not understood what are the nutrients that fuels the blooms. Most of the closed shellfish beds are off limits because of high levels of fecal coliform or dangerous pollutants, such as mercury. If you go south you've got more pollution, and if you go north you've got more paralytic shellfish poison. rw

US California: Irrigation Blamed for Warming Effect in San Joaquin. April 16, 2003 Associated Press
Rising nighttime temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare counties) may be caused by irrigated land that increases humidity. Nighttime temperatures in the region have risen more than four degrees F. over seven decades. The big issue is climate change from carbon dioxide. Preliminary data conflicts with global warming theories, but suggests increased humidity is preventing nighttime air from cooling. John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville said, "The evidence shows that if this were a large-scale climate change caused by carbon dioxide, it would affect the valley, the foothills, and the mountains," ... "But we have not seen these changes in the higher elevations." Dave Kranz, a California Farm Bureau questioned the study: is it irrigation that's warming temperatures or sunlight reflecting off the paved roads that come with urbanization? The crops on irrigated land help clean the air - each acre of rice in scrubs about 23,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. California has more than 8 million irrigated acres, of which 2 million are in the study's region. rw

A Great Grandma -- An Aboriginal Elder Battles Construction of a Radioactive-waste Dump in Australia. April 16, 2003 Grist Magazine
In the 1950s and '60s, the British military conducted nuclear tests in southern Australia. To the military, it was a wasteland, to the Aboriginal people it was their home. The military told the Aboriginals that the testing was safe, but many went blind, suffered radiation sickness, or developed cancer. Now, the Australian government has proposed a radioactive-waste dump near Woomera, that would store waste from nuclear reactors. Aboriginals fear their land, water, and health will be poisoned once again. Eileen Wani Wingfield and Eileen Kampakuta Brown, in their 70s, joined with five other older women to create the Coober Pedy Women's Council. They have written to the government and traveled miles to speak against the project. The Australian government says it plans to move ahead with the project. Wingfield and Brown shared one of this year's environmental prizes for their efforts to stop the radioactive-waste dump. Wingfield and the other elders decide to fight it because "those things" already killed all the old people, and is still dangerous. The dump would poison everything else. rw

U.S.: Tougher Rules Unveiled for Diesel Emissions. April 16, 2003 Washington Post
Diesel-powered off-road machines will be subject to stricter EPA emissions standards, cutting emissions by 95%. The tougher rules are expected to prevent 9,600 premature deaths per year and save billions of dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity. Refineries will have to cut the sulfur content to 500 ppm in 2007 and 15 ppm in 2010. Once the fuel standards are in place, the EPA will phase in tougher soot and nitrogen oxide standards for diesel engine manufacturers between 2008 and 2014. rw

U.S.: City Improvement: Planting Trees. April 16, 2003 Christian Science Monitor
Over the past 15 years the number of trees in the U.S. has declined by 30%, while the space covered by solid surfaces has risen by 20%. To redress the imbalance, the country needs 634 million more trees says American Forests, a conservation group. In some cities, volunteer groups are stepping in to plant and care for trees on public land, and educate the public on why they matter. Trees are natural pollution-control devices. Their leaves, branches, and trunks help slow the runoff of storm water. They also provide sound buffering, shade, and measurably cooler temperatures on hot summer days, and breeding and roosting places for local and migratory birds, whose habitat has been disappearing. City trees can reduce storm-water and pollution-control expenditures by millions of dollars. Much of the problem with trees stems from lax maintenance, outright neglect, and stressful growing conditions. One solution is to plant good-sized trees as tree size and longevity count more than quantity. rw

Firm Wins $62 Million Deal to Restore Education in Iraq. April 15, 2003 New York Times*
Creative Associates International Inc., Washington, has won a $62 million contract to open schools on schedule this fall, with equipment and supplies, teaching to lay the foundations for democracy among students, parents and teachers. Education is critical for ridding the schools of the environment of Saddam Hussein. When safe in Iraq, the company will send teams to assess the state of the schools. 25% of children do not attend school, and the company will ensure that they return to class and catch up on their education, girls as well as boys. Textbooks, will be awarded in a separate contract. A $4.8 million contract to manage and repair seaports was given to Stevedoring Services of America in Seattle, and a $7 million contract to plan emergency relief went to the International Resources Group of Washington. The Research Triangle Institute of North Carolina won a $7.9 million contract to restore local governments in Iraq. rw

Iraq Aid Efforts Raise Africa Questions. April 15, 2003 Boston Globe
Iraq's need for relief is siphoning away funding for the world's other

crises - Africa comes to mind. James Morris, head of the World Food Program, said that the $1.8 billion needed for emergency food aid for Africa remains more than $1 billion short. Iraq has our attention, but "there are nearly 40 million Africans in greater peril. They are struggling against starvation," he said. "How is it we routinely accept a level of suffering and hopelessness in Africa we would never accept in any other part of the world?" $3.5 billion in global

emergency assistance was requested by the U.N. this year, compared with

$2.2 billion (60% of the total) requested by the UN for Iraq alone over the

next six months. Until Iraq oil is adequately producing, over the next two

or three years, an estimated $25-$30 billion would be spent for Iraq's

construction. John W. Snow, the US treasury secretary, said that the Bush

administration would seek an extra $100 million from Congress for the

International Development Association. UNICEF warned in March that "away

from spotlight, millions of children in peril." UNICEF put out a $501

million appeal for children in 30 countries or territories, but received

just 14% of that request by the end of February. UNICEF recently appealed

for $166 million for Iraq - and has already netted $49.3 million. Its

earlier $110 million appeal for Afghanistan raised only $13.3 million.

Asian Development Bank Approves Loan for Water Supply Scheme in Nepal . April 15, 2003 Kathmandu Post

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 1.4 million US dollars grant to improve the water supply and sanitation sector of the Kathmandu Valley under a private scheme due for completion in 2004. This includes a river diversion from the Melamchi Valley to the Kathmandu Valley, distribution network improvements, construction of a water treatment plant and bulk distribution system and wastewater system improvements. There is a clear consensus that private participation is essential to the development. The Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) has failed to supply efficient and affordable services to the residents of the Kathmandu Valley. The total cost is estimated to be 1.75 million US dollars. 700,000 dollars will be financed by the government of Japan, $700,000 by the government of Norway and the remaining $350,000 from the Nepal government. rw

U.S.: Battle of the Environment Breaks Out as Pentagon Urges Fewer Limits on Military: Rules on Marine Mammals, Toxic Waste and Air Quality Are Seen as Obstacle to Training. April 15, 2003 Push newsfeed
The Senate�s environment committee underscores the efforts to insulate the US military from environmental lawsuits. The Defense Department asked Congress to "clarify" regulations governing marine mammals, toxic waste, air quality and endangered species. The Pentagon says vague definitions leave it vulnerable to legal challenges. Employing an unusual tactic, Mr Inhofe�s staff sends e-mails to journalists offering rebuttals of environmental groups� criticisms. The five-week-old campaign, named "Operation End Extremism", underscores the controversy surrounding efforts to insulate the US military from environmental lawsuits. Congress rejected a similar request last year. The Pentagon says there is a need to reduce limitations on combat training. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) accuses the defense department of exploiting the situation in Iraq. "Existing laws already allow national security to trump environmental concerns, ... And they�ve never proven that the laws even constrain military training." says Rob Perks of NRDC. One of the contentious issues involves the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the changes sought by the Pentagon would allow it to test sonar equipment with less fear of lawsuits so that the navy�s ability to detect quiet diesel submarines would not be impaired. rw

Freedom Fighters Win Political Clout: Status of Women -- Those Who Fight for Their Country Do Not Voluntarily Head Back to the Kitchen�. April 15, 2003 Push newsfeed
Women who fight for their country do not voluntarily head back to the kitchen - this is one explanation for the change in female fortunes since the National Resistance Army seized power in 1986. Women now have a status in Uganda unrivalled in Africa. The vice president is female, and a quarter of parliamentary members are female. When the war forced husbands to flee the country, they left women no choice but to support whole families. Ugandan feminists are frustrated at the pace of change and uncertain how long it will last. The legal rights of women have barely begun to reflect their productive role. It is estimated women produce 80% of food crops, 60% of exports such as coffee, tea and cotton and 80% of exports such as maize, vanilla and chillies. Yet they own only 7% of the land. Under President Museveni, female enrolment at primary school has risen to parity. Affirmative action is in place at the universities. Legislation regarding rights to land and property, and iniquities in the divorce laws that would enable women in politics to bring about improvements for the vast majority of their sex in rural areas remains on the back burner. There is no guarantee that the affirmative action will find a place in a more pluralist political system. rw

Contraceptive Vaccine Temporarily Sterilises Dogs. April 15, 2003 New Scientist
A contraceptive vaccine designed by an Australian group to make dogs

sterile for at least six months may be available soon. But frequent visits

to the vet and human forgetfulness may make spaying or neutering a better

alternative. The vaccine works by generating antibodies to luteinising

hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which controls the production of male and

female sex hormones such as testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen. The

reliability of the vaccine will soon be know from larger trials involving

many different breeds of dog. "Our expectation is there will be a

significant proportion of dog owners who would rather not have their

animals undergo surgery," said Kelso of the group creating the vaccine.

"The vaccine is less invasive, there are essentially no risks." There is a

contraceptive vaccine for elephants which works by generating antibodies

against an egg protein, preventing sperm binding to the egg. Some groups in

Australia and New Zealand would like to eliminate alien invaders such as

rabbits and possums by releasing infectious viruses that stimulate the

production of these antibodies.

Australia: NSW: Concern About Cuts to Family Planning. April 15, 2003 AAP Newsfeed
Cuts to family planning services in NSW, including closing three Sydney clinics, could result in higher rates of unwanted pregnancy. They provide tens of thousands of women with free sexual and reproductive health services. They have around 90,000 abortions a year, one of the highest in the world. A spokeswoman for the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) said funding for family planning in NSW, currently $8 million a year, had been cut by 25% over the past five years. 38% of clients were under 24. Reducing infrastructure costs would allow FPA to concentrate on health promotion, training and information, while women would be able to see their GP or other sexual health service providers for clinical services. rw

Nigeria; Agency Organises Workshop for Women in Politics. April 15, 2003 Daily Trust (Nigeria)
A USAID-funded agency has organised workshops in Nigeria to make women aware of HIV, reproductive health and child survival situations in the country. They were also aimed at improving quality of lives, how to network among women politicians, identify appropriate interventions for improving the health of the 120 million people in the country. Men who make all the decisions do not consider these as priorities, as they do not generate income nor are they amenable to immediate resolution. Health and population problems should be of priority concern to women politicians. rw

Their Feudal Lords. April 14, 2003 Statesman (India)
Most Bangladesh garment factories engage in discriminatory practices against women labourers. Women who get pregnant either lose their jobs or are forced to undergo abortions. Even when the factory imposes no such strictures, women are not allowed a break even if they are unfit for hard labour. It is claimed that a large number of workers suffer miscarriages because of overwork. These women earn Bangladesh almost 70% of its foreign exchange. Yet, neither employers nor government offer labour protection. Some claim that employers force them to use contraceptives that have been condemned for the damage they inflict. Researchers claim a link between the rising fortunes of the garment industry and the low marriage rate for women. More married women preferred to settle in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), which offered day-care facilities, than in the non-EPZ, where large garment factories are located. Women workers in non-EPZ factories rarely opted for motherhood. So desperate are the women to hold on to their jobs, that they risk undergoing abortions at low-grade clinics. Garment factory owners argue that the productivity of female workers declines from the moment they go on maternity leave. Employing women who have no children ensures consistent productivity and no obligation to provide child-care facilities. Those who do not dismiss pregnant women, rarely offer paid maternity leave. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) claims it has not heard of any unit forcing anti-conception injections on women workers. The Directorate of Labour too, has made no arrests or questioned the anti-women policies of factory owners. The government has enacted laws to ensure equal rights for working women, including four months of maternity leave. The Constitution states, that if an employer forces a lactating mother to work before the period of six weeks following childbirth is over, he/she will be liable for prosecution. rw [Note: The hard facts of life in an impoverished country are that a job in a garment factory may be far better life than no job at all. If the garment factory is making a big profit off of women, that is one thing, but if the garment factory cannot afford to keep a woman who often has to take time off to care for her children, that is the hard facts of life. We cannot always blame the entrepreneur for the injustices of poverty. Re: Depo-provera, it is approved by the FDA for use by American women. Since FDA has the most rigorous standards in the world for drugs, it is hard to believe the bad name that some extremists want to give it.]

Saddam City: Children Suffer Most in Baghdad's Slums. April 14, 2003 Deutsche Presse-Agentur
In Baghdad there is a large Shiite slum of 2 million people. Its poverty

and the residents' bad health has been made worse by war. The water is

contaminated and looting and violence have nearly collapsed the health care

system, with only three out of 32 hospitals and clinics working over the

weekend. Children suffer such health problems as malnourishment, food

allergies, diarrhoea and vomiting. Adults suffer from car accidents,

gunfire and stabbings. The fight for food and provisions has also resulted

in injuries. The German group APN in a small clinic has looked after 1,500

people in the last four days. Larger humanitarian organizations are still

caught up in the midst of chaos.

North America: Jobs Move Offshore as Firms Continue to Economize. April 14, 2003 New Haven Register
In India, the amount of software and back-office services performed for companies outside India is expected to reach $54 billion by 2008. The Indian market for the same services is expected to reach just $15 billion. The software and technology services are a high foreign-exchange earner. That represents many new jobs in India and fewer in the United States. Offshore outsourcing save companies 25% to 50% A recent report by Foote Partners LLC in New Canaan said up to 45% of information-technology workers in the United States and Canada will be replaced by contractors, consultants, offshore technicians and part-time workers by 2005. rw

The People Problem; When Will the World Face It?. April 14, 2003 The Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
Either the world slows its booming population growth or dreams of conquering global illiteracy and poverty will be dashed. The AIDS epidemic will curtail population growth somewhat, but that the world can do without. Efforts to educate and feed all the people can't succeed if new mouths and minds keep appearing faster than they can be filled. There's little sign that the world's nations are serious about population control. The failure to follow through on the Cairo goal isn't just unfortunate. Over the long haul, it promises to be disastrous. The total spent on population control in 2000 was $11.2 billion, in 2001, $9.4 billion. The industrialized countries, have come through with only 40% of their share. Birth-control is being denied, condoms are in short supply in AIDS-stricken countries. Fertility rates remain high in the world's poorest regions. The upshot will be hundreds of millions of unwanted pregnancies, untenably large families, untold numbers of preventable AIDS cases. Packing the world with too many people is a sure way to make the majority miserable. Half of the world's citizens subsist on $2 a day or less and the only way to bring hope is to squelch poverty. The chief method is population control so foolishly ignored by the world's wealthy. rw Note: The words 'population control' is sometimes thought to suggest coercive methods, but this is not the case because the 'Cairo' convention is about voluntary family planning. There is a large unmet need for contraception. RW says THIS SHOULD BE PRINTED IN CAPITAL LETTERS AND A COPY SENT TO EVERY PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY.

Philippines: Growing Garbage Problem Linked to Family Planning . April 14, 2003 Manila Bulletin (Philippines)
Developed cities find it difficult to keep up with the increase in waste that accompanies rising consumption. Metro Manilans face a problem of waste disposal since the two main facilities have been closed. It is estimated that the population of Metro Manila will increase by 50 million by 2050. People mean garbage. The Philippines has enacted the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act which international donors are helping implement, in particular, to set up public education programs on recycling as well as refuse processing centers with private contractors. Thus, it is important to link environmental question with information and services on family planning. rw

World Bank Chides Rich for Sliding on Development Promises. April 13, 2003 Agence France Presse
The World Bank chided industrialized powers for failing to boost aid and lower trade barriers. Aid from rich countries as a proportion of GDP had slumped from 0.5% in the early 1960s to just 0.2%. Developing countries had cut trade barriers, but this has not been reciprocated by wealthier nations. Action now could cut poverty rates to less than half by 2015. But rapid growth in Asia and improvements in Eastern Europe will do little to reduce the poverty in Africa. The number of impoverished people will drop from 1.29 billion people or 29.6% in 1990, to 809 million or 13.3% in 2015. But in sub -Saharan Africa, poverty numbers will swell from 315 million in 1990 to 404 million in 2015 and in the Middle East, the number will climb from five million to eight million. In East Asia and the Pacific, including China, the number in poverty would decline from 486 million to 80 million, and in South Asia, would slide from 506 million to 264 million. World powers had agreed on halving global poverty rates, providing primary school education for all and cutting child mortality rates by two-thirds. But those goals would slip without stepped-up action. Critics said the organizations missed a chance to do more. The World Bank said an initiative to cut the debt of the poorest countries had amounted to 40 billion dollars in 26 countries. rw

Radical Right Wants to Abridge Women's Rights. April 13, 2003 Free Lance Star
Neither the U.S. delegation, nor any other delegation, (nor the U.N. agencies or nongovernmental organizations) "promote abortion as 'reproductive health,' as Steven Mosher claims ["Rep. Davis: Champion of Women, Opponent of UNFPA Funding," March 21]. Mr. Mosher's phrase is widely used by the extreme right to camouflage a broader, underlying agenda. That agenda would deny women access to the widest range of contraceptives of their choice, withhold vital information from young people that would protect them against HIV and AIDS and prevent girls and women from achieving equality with men. Writer of this op-ed is Adrienne Germain, the president of International Women's Health Coalition and member and core strategist of the Clinton delegation to the 1994 United Nations population conference.

Kashmir's Fabled Forests Vanish. April 13, 2003 Terra Daily/Agence France-Presse
Kashmir is loosing glorious forests - and soldiers, villagers, officials, and timber merchants are blamed. Since 1947, the 13,300 square kilometer strip of the region under Pakistani control has diminished by two-thirds. In 1947, 42% of Azad Kashmir was forest, today it's 13%. Disappearing with the forests is Kashmir's exotic wildlife. They are also victims of shelling along the heavily militarised line splitting the region between Pakistan and India. Wild deer, were nowhere to be seen, snow leopards declined from 80 to 20, migratory birds, have changed their routes. Pakistani and Indian soldiers are involved in illegal logging. Forestry officials checking vehicles for smuggled timber are not allowed to check army trucks. The civilian population cuts trees for fuel. 25% percent of forests are zoned commercial, providing 60% of its revenue and 2,800 jobs. The army is planting more than 30,000 saplings and AJK villagers have tried to prevent illegal felling, but they cannot forbid the army. rw

3 Tykes and You're Out; in a Bid to Curb Population Explosion, New Delhi May Set Example by Barring Those with Many Kids From Elections. April 11, 2003
The Indian government is planning legislation banning politicians with more than two children from contesting elections. The opposition lawmaker Laloo Prasad Yadav has nine children, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has an adopted daughter, and opposition leader Sonia Gandhi has two children. The proposal wants the ruling class to set an example. India's population is growing at 2%. The ruling will need the support of all parties in the House. A variant was introduced at local government level in some states but it is unclear if it serves the purpose. Disqualifying people from the democratic process will not make much difference to the family-planning programmes that India started in the 1950s. Adoption of a small family norm has social consequences but should be voluntary. There has to be an environment where a small family is accepted as normal but this has not materialised because of poverty, illiteracy, inequality and lack of proper health facilities. rw

U.N. Says Iraq's Population is Expected to Grow. April 10, 2003 Associated Press
Using figures based on the 1987 census, Iraq's population is expected to grow from 23.2 million in 2002 to about 26.6 million in 2005 and 58 million by 2050, according to the United Nations Population Division. An additional 1.1 million Iraqis are living outside the country. The war is another variable, so higher mortality, fertility declines and changes in living conditions that can affect nutrition, illness and child-bearing," must be taken into account. Iraq's population is growing by 2.68% a year. Half of Iraq's population is under the age of 19. Iraqi women have an average of 4.77 children. Infant mortality is high at 83.3 per 1,000 births. An estimated 50,000 to 180,000 Iraqis are in Jordan and about 40,000 Iraqis in Germany and Sweden.

Somalia: Puntland Warns of Drought. April 10, 2003 UN Integrated Regional Information Network
Parts of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland face water shortages. The problem is acute in the regions of Sool and Sanaag, and the self-declared republic of Somaliland. Also affected are the districts of Bargal, Iskushuban, Qandala, Alula, Badar Beyla and Qardo, all of Bari Region, and parts of Nugal Region, said Abdishakur. Puntland administration had dispatched fuel to Sanaag to help in the trucking of water. Puntland authorities had called on international agencies to intervene. The first priority was to deliver water to affected areas and distribute food to those who had lost their livestock. rw

U.S.: A Global Catalog of Wrongs. April 07, 2003 New York Times*
The State Department produces a document detailing human rights practices of almost every country. Among the nations are: Uzbekistan who routinely tortures detainees; Eritrea has ended freedom of the press and restricts religious freedom; Azerbaijan detains dissidents and rigs elections. Violations are noted in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Macedonia, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia, all with poor human rights. Iraq, North Korea and Iran victimize their people. Baghdad has executions without trial, political murders, torture and persecution of Shiite Muslims. North Korea has detention camps, torture and harsh prison conditions, including starvation. Iran has arbitrary arrests, disappearances, stoning and flogging. Burma has punitive rape by soldiers, forced relocation of minorities, forced labor and conscription of children. Turkmenistan's autocrat models his rule on Stalin's. China is freer but Beijing executed 3,000 people last year, many without due process. It uses torture, forced confessions, imprisonment in psychiatric hospitals and lengthy detentions with no right to communicate with family members or lawyers. Some countries have been cited for withholding sleep and food to extract confessions. American authorities have been charged by some with using these techniques in Afghanistan and Guant�namo Bay, Cuba. rw

Seoul�s Air Pollution Worst Among OECD Members. April 04, 2003 Push newsfeed
Seoul�s particulate matter (PM) was 71 micrograms per cubic meter at the end of 2001, the highest among OECD countries. Moscow recorded the lowest with 10 micrograms. PM causes various respiratory problems. Nitrogen dioxide in Seoul was 0.037 ppm ranking third after Moscow with 0.058 ppm. The high level of pollution is due to an increase of diesel-fueled automobiles. 45% of nitrogen dioxide and 44% of PM in 2000 came from automobile emissions. Diesel-fueled cars made up 81% of the nitrogen dioxide and 100% of the PM. The lower price of diesel fuel is the main cause for the increase in diesel-powered cars. Cost of diesel in S.Korea is 54.9% of gasoline, well below the average 77.5%. In Italy, Japan and Mexico, diesel fuel costs 80% that of gasoline, in Britain and the U.S. there is little difference. Among the 14 million vehicles in S. Korea, diesel-powered account for more than 30%. The government is allowing the domestic sale of diesel-powered passenger cars from 2005 aggravating the air pollution. rw

More Than Four in 10 U.S. Women Experience Complications Giving Birth. April 04, 2003
A study found that 29% of women had complications giving birth. About 4% had preexisting conditions that were made worse by giving birth. Complications included major vaginal tears, pelvic trauma, bleeding, infections and pregnancy-induced diabetes. About 22% of women underwent C-sections, a major procedure. The mortality rate has remained at eight deaths per 100,000 births for the last two decades. Many of the complications could be avoided with quality prenatal and delivery care. 19 million births occurred in the United States from 1993 to 1997. rw [Note: If the number is as high as 29% in the U.S., you can bet it is much higher in countries where malnutrition, malaria, and HIV are additional complications. Why would people like Judy Brown of ALL deny funding for reproductive health simply because (she claims) IPPF is only pretending to care about women's reproductive health care?]

Toxin Threat to Inuit Food. April 02, 2003 BBC News
The traditional diet of Inuits of Greenland includes polar bears, seals, and whales. It is a healthy diet and no toxins are produced by their lifestyle. Unfortunately persistent organic pollutants, lead, cadmium, mercury, and other hazardous chemicals are being carried from industrialised nations by wind and ocean currents to Inuit Greenland region and accumulating in the same animals the Inuit eat - which could result in birth defects, reduced fertility, and genetic damage for the humans. In fact, in some areas toxic levels were high enough to cause concern for in 100% of the population, and above the "level of action" for 30%. The report from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) concludes Greenlanders should consider changing their eating habits. The Greenlander diet that has kept Greenland's population protected from ailments typically associated with industrialised societies, like heart disease, diabetes and obesity; so until now people were told to avoid abandoning their traditional diet for a Western one. Diabetes, for example, has increased from almost no cases twenty-five years ago to three times the level in Denmark. "To discover that the food which for generations has nourished them and kept them whole physically and spiritually is now poisoning them is profoundly disturbing and threatens Indigenous Peoples' cultural survival," the report says.

EU's Multibillion Dollar Aid-and-Trade Pact with 77 Developing Countries. April 01, 2003 Associated Press
A multibillion aid-and-trade pact between the European Union is aiming to fight poverty and promote democracy. 16 billion euros would be disbursed among the world's poorest nations under a deal that promises aid to nations if they show improvements in human rights and a reduction in corruption. It encourages members to form regional trade blocs to promote economic growth. Quotas on bananas will be phased out between 2002 and 2006, and sugar and rice from 2006 to 2009. Zimbabwe, Haiti, Ivory Coast and Liberia had already been criticized for human rights violations. Zimbabwe has diplomatic sanctions by EU nations and EU nations have frozen Mugabe's financial assets. Cuba has lobbied to be included and this will be considered - hoping it will turn the communist country toward democracy and improved human rights. Cuba insists it respects human rights by ensuring broad social services including free education and health care. rw

Kenya; 1,500 Street Children Set to Join National Youth Service. April 01, 2003 Push newsfeed
1,500 former street children are to be admitted to the National Youth Service program in Kenya. Each child will cost the government Sh100,000 to complete the programme, which aims at moulding them into useful citizens. The Street Children Rehabilitation Fund has reached Sh6 million,and was expected to increase. Under the UN convention member states are obliged to ensure that child victims of conflicts, torture, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation are helped to recover. More than 300 youths aged above 18 have been identified for training. The presence of street families is based on poverty and the collapse of social values, including HIV/Aids. The YS programme is part of the government�s jobs creation programme and was aimed at training NYS staff in issues such as human and children�s rights, counselling and basic health care.

Philippine Urban Areas to Face Water Sanitation Crises. April 01, 2003 Asia Pulse
Cities in the Phillipines face water and sanitation crises as the population grows. 50% of the world's population lives in cities and towns and one billion live in slums and squatter settlements without clean water or decent sanitation. Metro Cebu in the Phillipines has a population of two million and is expected to grow. The Rotary Club of Cebu provided 15 toilets with water that were turned over to the community. But they will have to charge a small fee to maintain them and pay for the water. All cities grow on a supply of good water, the removal of wastewater, and attention to pollution control. But better governance means all citizens' needs must be considered. Government institutions must allow community-based organizations a greater role in determining projects. rw

Africa: Child Trafficking Still Widespread. April 01, 2003 Financial Times (London)
Evidence of trafficking in child labour in West Africa documents cases of children transported for domestic or farm labour and accuses governments of failing to protect minors and prosecute traffickers. 13 countries are involved with Togo as a source, destination and transit point for illegal child labour. Togolese children between three and 17 have been recruited, including girls taken to ports in Nigeria and then to Gabon to work in domestic service. It reveals abuse resembling child slavery. The report describes transporting truckloads of boys to work on farms in Nigeria in conditions of bonded labour. rw

Philippines: High Population Growth Undermines Conservation Gains. April 01, 2003 Inquirer, Philippine Daily
On Apo Island, a showcase of marine conservation, the population growth of 40% to 700 people has become a problem. Rapid population growth of 2.3% annually, high poverty rates, and over-fishering have overexploited Philippine reef fisheries. Until 1995, dynamite fishing was practiced in the waters of Bais and neighboring areas as fishermen had to go farther and farther for less and less catch. Development without consequences was another contributor to coral reef degradation. Development, agriculture, aquaculture and land cover change threaten many coral reefs. Over 80% of tropical forests and mangroves have been cleared, increasing sediment outflow onto reefs. Conservation must include family planning. Tourism must be controlled or conservation will come to naught. New management projects integrate family planning. Environmental problems are also due to overconsumption by the affluent and deprivation of the poor. rw

Good News! the HIV/AIDS Bill Just Passed by a Vote of 374 to 41. April 2003 National Audubon Society population news list
This HIV/AIDS bill, initiated by President Bush and authored by Congress

Henry Hyde (R-IL) may be the most significant family planning development

of the last 25 years. For a good analysis of the benefits of this bill and what you should do to help, please click on the headline link. [This article has some important points that need summarizing. If you would like to help, click on the red arrow to register as a volunteer. Thanks!!]

Slovakia: Plans to Raise Awareness of Family Planning. March 31, 2003 The Slovak Spectator
The Slovak Deputy Prime Minister has promised to intensify training of health workers, remove barriers to health care, and encourage Roma girls and women to visit gynaecologists and receive information on reproductive health. This requires 60,000 euro to prevent discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism. This project for the Roma minority focused on 300 Roma settlements in the Preov, Koice, and Banska Bystrica regions.

The claims by two foreign NGOs that up to 100 Roma women in Slovakia had been forcibly sterilised are untrue, the Slovak government says. rw