New York Times: Letter to the Editor: Let Women Plan Their Futures
John Bongaarts, vice president and distinguished scholar at the Population Council

“…[International family planning programs] are helping produce better outcomes for women and their families, including lower maternal mortality and greater economic opportunities. … The policy prescription everywhere should be the same: Help women do what they want. In Africa and around the world, women should be ensured universal access to effective contraception to avoid unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions and enable them to live the lives they want. Governments and employers should also make it easier for women to combine childbearing and a career. When women have the opportunity to plan their futures, everyone benefits” (11/1).