The dramatic increase in contraceptive use since the mid-1960s is also a key factor in the slowing of population growth. Slower growth means more time for governments to make the necessary investments in human development through education and health care, and may allow governments to spend more per person on these and other vital social services. This can pave the way for the kind of economic growth that turns aid recipients into trading partners, as has been the case with South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Slower population growth can help alleviate environmental stress. Access to fresh water, the conservation of forests, and the preservation of species-rich habitats can all benefit from slower population growth.
Family planning is an important arena of international cooperation.
Responding to requests from developing countries in the 1960s, the United States and Sweden were the first wealthy countries to provide family planning assistance. Today, the donor community includes 21 countries, the European Union, World Bank, and United Nations Population Fund, working in partnership with more than 150 developing countries to help meet the growing demand for family planning and other reproductive health services. The Russian Federation To view the rest of the Planned Parenthood Web site, please use the links below.