Despite much time and effort the Irish Family Planning Association (FPA) has had to abandon several of its projects under its 5-year plan due to severe financial strains and political opposition. In 1990 the Irish FPA embarked on a new initiative the Challenges Project of the IPPF. The FPA drafted a strategic plan but factors outside the strategic planning process have frustrated the efforts to implement the plan. One such factor is the perilous state of finances of the FPA. The FPA has seen a decline in condom sales and the government continues to refuse payment for indigent clients who receive free clinical services from FPA. In addition to a decline in income FPA was prosecuted in May 1990 for selling a condom from its stand located in a large record store in Dublin -- a place frequented by young people. In February 1991 the government again prosecuted FPA for the same offense. This time the FPA went on the political offensive and succeeded in winning an admission from Irelands prime minister that the current laws on the distribution of condoms were outdated. The governments proposal for change however has been disappointing. Predictably these financial and political obstacles have disrupted the implementation of the 5-year initiative. Having left the legal ordeal behind the FPAs planning committee has begun to meet again to discuss the implementation of the program. Sadly the committee has had to revise or completely discard many of its most ambitious projects since most of the organizations resources are currently being used to prevent bankruptcy. Despite these problems the organization looks towards the future with optimism.
Condom breakage is discussed based on research conducted by Family Health International. Breaks have been attributed to manufacturing defects poor storage conditions and most particularly incorrect use. The studies in the US and 8 other African Latin American and Asian countries showed that a relatively small number of couples was responsible for a large proportion of breakages. Quality control was assured in these studies for quality transport and storage conditions. The manufacturer of the silicone lubricated condoms was the same. Participants were all experienced users and were given instructions on correct use. 1 condom/single act of intercourse was requested. Followup interviews were conducted with those couples who broke >20% of the condoms tested. 4 factors accounted for breakages: 1) use of oil based lubricants which has been shown to be harmful to latex; 2) intensity or extended duration of intercourse between 10-30 minutes; 3) reuse; and 4) putting on condoms incorrectly. Oil lubricants were used in several cases because of complaints of lack of lubrication as reported in Kenya. Availability of suitable lubricants was also a problem as reported in Mexico. Petroleum jelly and hair tonic both oil based were some of the products used incorrectly. It was suggested that this was a common practice. In the US Sri Lanka and Mexico there were reports of longer duration coitus. In Mexico and Jamaica reuse of condoms was considered quite common perhaps because of a misunderstanding that 1 period of use could mean several ejaculations. Men in Kenya and Mexico reported unrolling and stretching condoms and putting them on like a sock. Inspecting condoms for holes because of poor quality was also a common practice. 1 participant unrolled the condom only over the tip of the penis. Suggested improvements were better instructions such as: to specify a readily available non oil based lubricant such as saliva because of nonavailability of water based lubricants in many countries. Where water based lubricants are available brands should be specified. Even in the US 66% of respondents considered baby oil and 33% considered massage oil or petroleum jelly acceptable for use with latex condoms.
Population pressure is a function of the number of people and the productivity of the land. In Machakos the number of people is very small but the land is not productive. In Kisii the land is fertile and the population density is 2500/square kilometer. Different ethnic territories intensify the population pressure because people are trapped within tribal boundaries. These ethnic boundaries are very difficult to change; tribalism will not be overcome until human settlements can be integrated. After independence the government relaxed the land use laws and people began expanding into protected areas. Legislation is in place to prevent abusive land practices but the enforcement capacity of the government is very limited. Only recently have Environmental Officers been employed to help the Forestry and Agricultural Officers. The legislation is partially to blame because it only tells people what they can not do not what they can do. Also when something is prohibited it is usually done without an explanation. The Environment Ministry was created but never given any power because that power would have to come from the Ministries of Water Agriculture and Culture. Roadside planting is a result of government actions that force people to plant along the road and pray that they do not get evicted from the area.
Refugee status further compounds the health problems faced by women and children in developing countries. The main cause of mortality in refugee camps in malnutrition and women adversely affected by inadequate amounts of iron calcium iodine vitamin C in the basic ration. Since refugee women bear the major responsibility for collecting and storing water they are susceptible to water-borne diseases such as typhoid cholera dysentery and infectious hepatitis. Another leading cause of death among refugee women is complications of pregnancy due to the lack of trained midwives in the camps septic abortions unsanitary conditions during delivery septic instruments and poor lighting. Among nonimmunized refugee children measles is a major cause of death. Complications also arise from female circumcision performed by untrained camp personnel in some parts of Africa and the Middle East. Mental health problems arising from the loss of family and community support or trauma such as rape and torture are also common. The family planning needs of refugee women are rarely handled in a culturally sensitive manner and reliance on Depo-Provera without informed consent is a growing practice. Overall men continue to comprise the majority of users of refugee health services and the preventive approach that would best meet the needs of women and children is lacking.
If global warming occurs millions of people will be forced to abandon their homes especially those in low lying coastal areas and along great river systems. Scientists estimate that if global warming were to develop and 1-5% of the population were affected there would be anywhere from 80-400 million environmental refugees in 2020. An average sea level rise of just 30 cm would force most people in delta regions of the Nile the Ganges and the Yantze to migrate. Further such a rise would result in a loss of 25% of the land in Bangladesh which now has a population of 114 million. Many islands would no longer be able to support their populations. Some of these islands include the Maldives in the Indian Ocean; Kiribati Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean; and some in the Caribbean Sea. The migration crisis caused by global warming would spark other crises such as civil war economic breakdown and disorder. Further many people will resist more refugees than they believe their country can absorb because of fear of breakdown of social cohesion and national identity. Yet they can only stave off movement temporarily. For example the rich in countries and cities cannot protect themselves in the long term against these refugees most of whom will be poor. Further refugees can cross land borders and enter countries via water routes. For instance Arabs and African can cross into Europe and Chinese into the sparsely settled areas of the Soviet Union. In fact the large number of refugees involved would make it difficult to control the movements. We can make efforts now to prepare for the changes such as grow crops for food that flourish in a carbon dioxide rich environment and build dikes. Moreover we need to slow population growth to inspire understanding of the biosphere and to support sustainable economic development.
The effect of the Gulf War on family planning services in the Arab Region is discussed. The war may also underscore the problems of inequities in the distribution of wealth misuse of natural resources displacement of people (refugees and human rights) and precariousness of economies based on disorganized imported/exported labor. It is hoped that this will lead to a coordinated population policy on migration and population movements in the Arab Region. The Arab world has also exposed its high fertility rates mortality rates poverty and conditions of women. The IPPF family planning associates have functioned in 14 Arab countries with hesitant support. The scarce family planning resources may be diverted to investments in national security and emergency care and curative services. Health education nutrition and joblessness are critical for Iraqis Jordanians and those fleeing or being expelled from Iraq Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Their status may be no better than the refugees stranded in Jordan. Attitudes from the war may lead to pressure on mothers to replace the dead or retreat into thinking about safety in numbers. Public opinion against the Wests imperialist plots about family planning as evidenced in Israels pronatalist policies may equate family planning with being anti-Islamic and antinationalist. These fears are further exacerbated by the fundamentalist concerns about anti-Islamic family planning. Religious fanaticism also threatens the newly acquired rights of women to choose the desired number of children to education and to hold public office. A further complication is the political nature of international assistance which may punish poorer Arab nations for their rebellion or be distributed based on political aims. No Arab nation is neutral and IPPF will suffer resulting in fewer exchanges and regional-based activities.
As populations in arid regions grow the amount of water for each individual is less and the crisis is compounded by mans inability to properly manage this natural resource. Since the hydrological cycle does not distribute water evenly over the globe there are areas of abundance and areas of shortages. Most of Africa parts of the Middle East North Asia western US the northern part of Mexico parts of Chile and Argentina and almost all of Australia have serious water shortages. It is estimated that 2 million people live in areas of chronic water shortages. The most severely effected areas are sub- Saharan Africa Asia and Latin America. In developed countries the water supplies are polluted and irrigation projects mismanaged but in many areas of the developing world water is just scarce. Engineering approaches have taken the problems one at a time: engineers have not learned how the hydrological cycle works. In Africa over the last 10 years there have been major droughts in more than 20 countries. The population is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world. In some countries the water supply per capita will be reduced by almost 1/2 by the year 2000. Engineers have been approaching the problem in the wrong way asking how much water is needed and where do we get it instead of how much water is available and how can we best use it. In the arid areas of the Third World governments must train many hydrologists and other professionals to help them plan development that will use available water in the most efficient way. In developed countries the training of officials environmental experts policy makers and other professionals in the problems of the water-starved developing countries in needed. Water management problems must be addressed in developed countries as well.
tag=1 data=The Roman Catholic Church and reproductive choice. by Frances Kissling. tag=2 data=Kissling, Frances tag=3 data=People. tag=4 data=17 tag=5 data=4 tag=6 data=1990 tag=7 data=8. tag=8 data=RELIGION%CIVIL RIGHTS%CHILDBIRTH%ABORTION tag=10 data=Not all Catholics respect the present teaching of the Vatican on sexuality and contraception. tag=11 data=1990/2/11 tag=12 data=465 tag=13 data=CAB
The effects of population on coastal resources are examined. The mismanagement of land affects coastal waters through soil erosion and sediment which is transported by rivers and deposited in mangrove swamps and coral reefs. Fisheries are most commonly affected. 1.46 billion tons/year of sediment are deposited in the Bay of Bengal from the Ganges River. The Amazon which drains a larger area however only deposits 363 million tons/year of sediment into the Atlantic. Runoff from pesticide poisons and fertilizers is eventually dumped in coastal waters. Land management must be integrated with coastal and water development. 66% of fish are caught in tidal basins. Wetlands are spawning nursery and feeding areas for fish and shellfish. 90% of commercial species of fish caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean are dependent at some point in their life-cycle on estuaries mangroves seagrasses and coral reefs. 80% of the fish caught in the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers are dependent on the mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans. The 250000 tons of fish caught in the Mekong Basin which are valued at 90 million US dollars for Kampuchea Thailand and Vietnam are also dependent upon wetlands. 20 million people receive 50-70% of their protein intake from this harvest. 90% of protein intake of Pacific Islanders comes from the sea. Scientists estimate that one hectare of properly managed mangrove forest yields 100 kg of fish 25 kg of shrimp 15 kg of crabmeat 200 kg of mollusks and 40 kg of sea cucumber. Other products include the 400 kg of fish and 75 kg of shrimp which migrate elsewhere. Mangroves have been destroyed directly through clear cutting of timer specific creation of brackish water ponds for shellfish and urban expansion and indirectly through soil erosion pesticide runoff and deforestation in upland watersheds. The worst destruction is in Asia particularly in the Philippines where 462000 hectares of mangrove area was lost between 1920-88. The coral reefs are also fish factories. Destruction of coral reefs is due to improper land management coral mining and blast fishing. Coastal erosion occurs due to destruction of the mangroves and coral reefs. More attention money and manpower needs to be devoted to coastal management with the involvement of local communities.
In 1970 researchers proved that women perform a primary role in food production energy use and community development. At the time the researchers even advised development leaders to include women in development schemes or they would fail. Yet these leaders afraid of feminism ideology neglected women in planning design and implementing development program. Planners finally began to pay heed to women specific data in 1984-1985 because of the vast famine in the Sahel. These data verified earlier data that women indeed produce most of the family food (80%) and must be involved in agricultural strategies. With this event the women in development theory became acceptable but women still are not always included in the design and implementation of development programs. The 1990s present our last chance to preserve our planet and our people. To do so the world community must practice sustainable development stressing the environment equitable development and population policies/family planning. It cannot be done without women however. For example womens association with the natural resources through farming obtaining much needed water and providing fuel (most often wood) and their management of sanitation and solid waste greatly surpasses that of men. Yet they cannot participate in the development process as long as they are unhealthy undernourished undereducated overworked and constantly pregnant. Therefore womens health and access to family planning services should become the heart of achieving sustainable development. An example of the state of womens health is that 1 out of 21 Africa women die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. Women should also participate in health delivery system planning but males predominate the medical profession and often do not consider a users perspective.
