It'sestimatedthateveryyearnearly360,000womendiefrompregnancy-relatedcauses.Mostofthedeathsareinsub-SaharanAfrica.AstheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyopensanewsession,it'sbeingcalledontoprovidemorefamilyplanningservicestohundredsofmillionsofwomen.VOA'sJoeDeCapuareports.In1994,theinternationalcommunityagreedthatfamilyplanningshouldbeanintegralpartofreproductivehealth.TheInternationalConferenceonPopulationandDevelopmentinCairoissuedaprogramofactionthatcalledfor"theprovisionofuniversalaccesstoreproductivehealthservices,includingfamilyplanningandsexualhealth."But17yearsaftertheconference,advocatessaypromisesremainunfulfilled.TheGlobalLeadersCouncilforReproductiveHealthsaysfamilyplanningservicesareneedednowmorethaneverastheworldpopulationsoars.It'sexpectedtoreach9billionby2050.Thecouncilismadeupofcurrentandformerseniorleadersfrommorethanadozencountries,aswellasotherhealthadvocates."Reproductivehealthisnotjustimportanttowomen.It'simportanttohumanity,asweallknow.Imeanit'sthebasisofoursurvivalandthepropagationofthehumanrace,"saidJoyPhumaphi,formerministerofhealthinBotswanaandamemberofthecouncil."Itisabsolutelycriticalthatatanypointintimeafamilyonlyhasthenumberofchildrenthatitcanaffordtotakecareofandbringupintowell-roundedcitizens.Anditisalsocriticalthatafamilyisabletospacethesechildrenandhavethematintervalsthatenablethemtobringupeachchildeffectively,"shesaid."Itseemstohavedroppedofftheradarinrecentyears.WhenHIVbecameuppermostandfundinghadtobegotforHIV,Itlooksasiffamilyplanninglostpriority,"saidDr.FredSaiofGhana,aformerprofessorofmedicineandpastpresidentoftheInternationalPlannedParenthoodFoundation.He,too,isamemberoftheGlobalLeadersCouncilofReproductiveHealth.SaisaidinGhanaearlymarriageisacommonpractice--onethatcanputthehealthofyounggirlsatrisk."Agirlgetsmarriedatabout14.Idon'tsaysheshouldbe.Itwouldbebestifwecangivethemeducationsotheydon'tgetmarriedat14.Butiftheydo,iftheyhavenopreventive,theystartgettingpregnant.Thisleadstoawholelotofhealthproblems,"hesaid.Withoutreadilyavail...
