At just a fraction of 1 percent of the national budget, the United States international family planning program helps provide services in more than 60 countries. In Russia, because of limited contraceptive availability, abortion has been used as the major method of birth control. The introduction of modern contraception in Hungary coincided with a 60 percent reduction in abortions. Worldwide, there are nearly 80 million unintended pregnancies annually, and more than half of these result in abortion. Empowering Women and Girls Many women and girls in developing countries do not receive the same level of education as men, and they marry at a very young age.
Some countries are already so short of water that underground reserves are being depleted.
Promoting U.S. Interests Family planning is an important part of U.S. foreign policy. In the words of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, International family planning . Extreme scarcities of nonrenewable natural resources such as water, farmland, fisheries, and forests leave societies vulnerable to civil conflict. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. Alan Guttmacher Institute.