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United States Agency for International Development (USAID) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States. Various programs in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Near East assist people struggling to make a better life, by improving people's lives in a free and democratic society. USAID works to support global health and is one of the main contributors to family planning and reproductive health services in over 65 countries. Since 1965, USAID's Family Planning Programs have provided people around the world with access to voluntary family planning services while promoting sustainable development. Voluntary family planning has health, economic, and social benefits: Protects the environment by slowing population growth Protects the health of women by reducing high risk pregnancies Protects the health of children by allowing sufficient time between pregnancies Works to fight against HIV/AIDS by providing information and counseling Reduces abortions by preventing unwanted pregnancies Supports women's rights and opportunities for education and employment USAID provides up to 40% of donor-contributed contraceptives to the developing world. Since USAID's inception, the average number of children per family in developing countries has gone from six to four. USAID has also helped provide family planning to over 100 million couples, maternal mortality rates have been cut in half, child mortality rates have decreased by one-third, and the rate of new HIV infections has decreased 15%. (1) USAID also assists non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups to link and integrate Population, Health and Environment (PHE) Projects in developing countries. These projects acknowledge and address the complex connections between humans, their health, and their environment. They assume that programming based on synergies between health, family planning, and the environment will yield better results in terms of efficiency and sustainability, than will similar programs pursued separately. To improve the health of families and ensure a more sustainable environmental future, our policies and funding must support USAID voluntary family planning programs around the world. Photo courtesy of USAID. Up to Top