Intl Planned Parenthood Report: 140M Income, More United Nations Money

Intl Planned Parenthood Report: 140M Income, More United Nations Money
by Samantha Singson
June 3, 2010

LifeNews.com Note: Samantha Singson writes for the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute. This article originally appeared in the pro-life group's Friday Fax publication and is used with permission.



New York, NY (LifeNews.com/CFAM) -- The abortion giant, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), has just released its latest financial statement. The report boasts of increased spending on youth programs and a significant increase in funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with an overall 20% boost in income as compared to 2008.

In 2009, IPPF raked in a staggering $140 million, the bulk of which came from government grants. Sweden, the United Kingdom and Japan top the organization's list of government donors, accounting for 40% of grant money received.

Grants from foundations and multilateral organizations also grew from the previous year. UNFPA, while it is not one of the organization's largest donors, nearly doubled its contribution to IPPF last year from $783,000 to $1.36 million. The World Health Organization, apparently a new IPPF donor, contributed $15,000 in 2009.

IPPF spent a significant portion of its income on an increased focused on youth, to the tune of $9.9 million dollars more than the previous year. According to the report, a central theme of IPPF’s mission is the "provision of high quality and accessible youth friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services."

As part of their strategic framework, the IPPF report lists the five priority areas of focus as “Adolescents/Young People, HIV/AIDS, Abortion, Access, and Advocacy.” The term adolescent commonly refers to a child between ages 10 and 14. As part of their vision, IPPF is working to “develop a guide for young people to implement the IPPF Declaration of Sexual Rights,” and boasts that “IPPF youth programs now more strongly promote sexual rights in all their strategies, activities and services for and by young people.”

IPPF will also launch a new global initiative entitled "Girls Decide; stand up for sex and pregnancy." Aimed at young women, this initiative will focus on "preventing unintended teenage pregnancy, and providing safe abortion and safe motherhood services."

IPPF reported increased activity across the board. According to the latest figures, while spending on "abortion activity" was down almost $5 million last year, IPPF and its member associations reported providing 1.1 million "abortion-related services," almost five times greater than in 2005. IPPF also doubled the number of "contraceptive services" in the same time period.

The organization will next take aim at the UN in September at the high level review on the Millennium Development Goals where it will continue to push the controversial target on "universal access to reproductive health by 2015" and promoting young people’s, "and especially girls’ and young women’s, sexual and reproductive health rights; and increasing recognition and action around sexual rights."

As reported previously by the Friday Fax, IPPF has been partnering with youth organizations like the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the Young Women’s Christian Association to help to promote family planning and “adolescent reproductive health.”

IPPF recently hosted the 4th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights, whose plenary speakers included several high-level UN agency officials.

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