Madam, - As someone who recently travelled to Ethiopia to see at first hand how access to sexual and reproductive health programmes can improve the quality of life of families, I must reject the implied notion put forward by Prof Eamon O'Dwyer (March 18th) that family planning does not play a role in development.
Offering people a choice to plan and space their children through the use of contraception is not about "population control". Rather it is about offering people in developing countries a choice to plan their families. When I travelled to Ethiopia I met an 18 year-old woman who was using contraception. She and her partner already have a child, but they do not plan to have their second for two more years so the young woman can engage in a farm enterprise and improve the economic fortunes of her family.
I agree with Prof O'Dwyer when he says that improved living conditions, better education, better nutrition and access to medical services are all vital to reduce maternal mortality in developing countries. However, the ending of very early marriage and of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation also play a role in reducing maternal mortality. Equally, family planning and AIDS/HIV prevention programmes, including the promotion and use of condoms, can have a significant beneficial impact on the health of nations.
Ms Ulla Sandbaek MEP and the European Parliament must be congratulated for recognising the important role that sexual and reproductive health play in development. - Yours, etc.,
FIONA O'MALLEY TD,
Leinster House, Dublin 2.