Global Issues >> Population

Population

Family Planning Assistance Through the UN
A strong majority supports the US and other countries providing assistance for family planning through the United Nations.

While data is limited, it appears that solid majority support exists for UN population programs. The most recent question (October 1999) was asked by NBC/Wall Street Journal:

Earlier this month, the world population reached six billion. Do you think that nations should share resources and information through groups such as the United Nations to promote birth control, or should nations determine their own population and family planning programs?

The question actually poses a false choice between sharing resources and designing one's own national program. But despite this wording, only 40% chose the statement that nations should determine their own family planning programs, while 54% preferred the statement that nations should share resources through the UN to promote birth control.[1]

Older trend data asked about funding for UN population programs. In three different polls asking the same question, large majorities wanted to maintain or increase funding, with pluralities wanting to increase.

Do you think the United States and other UN member countries should provide the United Nations with more money than it has now to…slow population growth by providing birth control information and devices…or less money, or are they providing the UN with the right amount of money now for that purpose?