Access to family planning empowers women, nations

Re: “The most important thing happening in the world today,” June 7 commentary

Although refreshing to read about “The most important thing happening in the world today,” in terms of family planning, maternal care and improving infant mortality after the fact, what would add to this celebration is the improved access to contraception for women in poor third world countries.

In Melinda Gates’ book, “The Moment of Lift,” she spoke about starting a global initiative to save infant lives in povertystricken countries like Malawi, Niger, Kenya and others. Yet, when she visited these countries and interviewed the women, she realized the emphasis needed to be on family planning.

Melinda writes, “I began to hear and see the need for contraceptives … I met more mothers who were desperate not to get pregnant because they could not afford to feed and take care of the kids they already had.”

Millions of women that wanted to use contraceptives didn’t have access or could not get them due to supply shortages. A long- running study in Bangladesh showed that women who were given contraceptives were healthier, their children better nourished and their families could generate more wealth.

“No country in the last fifty years has emerged from poverty without expanding access to contraceptives.” Gates wrote, “It took us years to learn that contraceptives are the greatest life- saving, poverty- ending, woman- empowering innovation ever created.”

The most important thing that can happen in the world is to empower women with the ways and means to plan their families. The most important thing happening in the world would be making contraceptives the highest priority.

— Katherine Webster, Littleton