NPR examines Obama administration's global family planning policies

NPR's "Morning Edition" examines how global family planning fits into the Obama administration's global health policy. "The administration has already restored funding for the United Nations Population ... Fund, which for eight years received no U.S. support. And in his first week, President Obama lifted an executive order that existed in the Reagan and Bush administrations that prohibited U.S.-funded programs from providing information about abortion services," according to NPR. 

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham "Clinton has called for an increase in reproduction health education services and contraceptives for young people, links between HIV services and family planning, more prenatal care and a reduction in unsafe abortions," the program reports.

The report also examines the reaction of reproductive health advocates and policy analysts. It includes quotes from Susan Cohen, the legislative director of the Guttmacher Institute, and Allen Moore, a Smithson Center fellow and a former Republican policy advisor (Wilson, 2/2).

In related news, the Globe and Mail looks at how abortion and contraception might factor into discussions about maternal health and family planning at the next G8 meeting. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper "has signalled that he plans to make maternal health in the developing world Canada's cause when he is host of the G8 summit in June," according to the newspaper. The article includes comments from Canadian lawmakers, policy experts and advocates (Clark, 2/2).