By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The end of a year normally leads to reflections on how the preceding 365 days turned out on many different issues.  As  2012 comes to a close, there are reasons to feel confident about how family planning and reproductive rights fared this year. There were three major events that should be
[continue reading…]

By HowMany.org Today, almost everywhere we turn, we are inundated with negativity about the state of our world. There is climate chaos, economic uncertainty, terrorism, inequality, environmental degradation, overcrowding, poverty; the list goes on and on. It can be overwhelming to think about global issues and global problems. However, they can’t be ignored, or if
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Mainstream news coverage of the ongoing climate talks barely exists, and any real progress from Doha would be an unexpected and pleasant surprise, as even its participants would agree (perhaps that was why Qatar, the heart of the fossil fuel industry, was chosen as the venue). This despite some increase in
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Sometimes change springs from the unlikeliest of people or places. Improving the educational opportunities of girls in Pakistan’s could now be taking shape, due to the shooting of Malala Yousufzai, a Pakistani teenage advocate for girls’ education. The fifteen-year-old was shot in the head when Taliban fighters boarded her school bus,
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Mention India and many contradictory images are often conjured up – poverty and Rajput castles, rich and exotic foods and begging mothers and children, the Himalayan mountains and Rajasthani deserts. But there is no contradiction on the importance of the Indian monsoon. Indian agriculture and much of Indian culture are intertwined
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org In the debates and discussions leading up to the 2012 presidential election, there was not a hint that either political party was willing to question and reassess our dependence on endless economic growth in a world of finite resources. That is anathema to our political world. Our economy is measured and
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The New York Times recently posted an editorial titled “A World of Harm for Women” that argued that a Mitt Romney presidential win would harm women’s reproductive rights and extend far beyond the borders of the United States.  It would indeed. Romney has pledged to reinstate the Global Gag Rule. This
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, howmany.org Moral outrage has been expressed around the world over the shooting of Malala Yousufzai, a Pakistani teenage advocate for girls education. The fourteen-year-old was shot in the head when Taliban fighters boarded her school bus, severely injuring her and another student. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the “…attack reminds
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, HowMany.org One of the biggest returns on investment for people and the planet is supporting the health of women and girls, especially in terms of voluntary family planning services. As we recognize the International Day of the Girl this October 11th, it is a good time to go beyond traditional development ideas
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org One billion poor people around the world rely upon fish and seafood as their primary source of protein. Climate change is putting these people at high risk for food insecurity, and they also face a very serious threat to their livelihoods as fisherfolk, according to the recent report Ocean-Based Food Security
[continue reading…]