June 2021 Reaching the Tipping Point in the Sahel President’S Note

Volume 53, Issue 2 June 2021 Reaching the Tipping Point in the Sahel President’s Note

he United States spans a continent rich in natural The overpopulation debate has proceeded for several hundred resources. The land-locked African Sahelian nation years with the likes of Thomas Malthus and our co-founder of Chad ranks near the very bottom of global lists in Paul Ehrlich making our case while being opposed by David termsT of resources and prosperity. These two vastly different Ricardo and Julian Simon. Mostly, we’ve heard from those in nations have one thing in common: Both are overpopulated. the Global North. It’s time we also pay attention to voices from the Global South, where the vast majority of population growth The United Nations World Food Programme reports that Chad is taking place. “has one of the highest levels of hunger in the world” and that “around 40 percent of children aged under five suffer stunting.” Chad’s Minister of Public Health, Moussa Khadam, points out This malnutrition results from overpopulation in a land where that “Chad has very high illiteracy and is already overpopulated women average 5.6 children and where only about 4 percent of in the center and the south. We need better tools for family the land is arable. planning and greater awareness to tackle traditions that are centuries old.” Khadam’s grandfather had 64 children. Khadam Overpopulation in the U.S. is driving sky-high levels of carbon decided to stop at two. emissions. Our CO2 emissions in just two days are greater than all such emissions in Chad over the past 60 years. The climate African women leaders in key public health posts from Egypt crisis is destroying global biodiversity and placing hundreds of to Ghana to Burundi to Namibia have also raised the alarm millions of people at mortal risk in places like Chad. More than about overpopulation. And Malawi’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos 20,000 scientists from nearly 200 countries have stated that Chilima, warned his fellow citizens that “unbridled overpop- “planet Earth is facing a climate emergency” and that we are ulation and environmental degradation are threatening our “failing to adequately limit population growth.” communities.”

Population Connection’s own mission statement begins with Let’s all heed these warnings from the continent where human the words “Overpopulation threatens.” Not everyone agrees. history began about the threats posed by overpopulation. We Calling current talk about overpopulation “nonsense,” Johns can help by adding our voices—and by getting our own house Hopkins University Professor Erle Ellis says, “We transform in order. ecosystems to sustain ourselves.” That’s hardly a compelling John Seager argument when we’re adding some 80 million people each year [email protected] to our overheated planet. Healthy Human Habits That Help the Environment Former Population Connection board chair and University of California San Francisco professor emeritus J. Joseph Speidel MD, MPH has recently published The Building Blocks of Health: How to Optimize Wellness With a Lifestyle Checklist. Dr. Speidel provides an evidence-based strategy for healthy behavior to reverse the lifestyle-related damage that leads to illness and early death. The book explains why eating a healthy plant- based diet will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to mitigate further climate changes. Volume 53, Issue 2 June 2021

Features Board Chair Estelle Raboni, MPH, MCHES 10 In West Africa, Climate Change Equals Conflict Board of Directors By Robert Muggah Aaron S. Allen, PhD Rodrigo Barillas, MD, MBA 18 On the Cusp of Famine Amy Dickson By Will Brown Katie Ferman, MNA Bryce Hach, MS (Secretary) Mark Hathaway, MD, MPH Padgett Kelly, PhD Bob Pettapiece, EdD (Treasurer) Dara Purvis, JD (Vice Chair) Mary Beth Weinberger Kevin Whaley, PhD

President and CEO John Seager [email protected]

Editor Marian Starkey, MSc Cover Image: Hawa, a Wodaabi member Departments [email protected] of the Sabgari Clan, pauses for a portrait among other family members at their 2 Editor’s Note Population Connection (ISSN 2331-0529) camp in Bermo, Niger, on June 24, 2019. Population Connection is the national grassroots The Wodaabe People, a sub-group of the 3 Letters to the Editor Fulani, are nomadic cattle herders and population organization that educates young 4 Pop Facts people and advocates progressive action to traders in the wider Sahel region. Their stabilize world population at a level that can be migrations stretch from southern Niger 6 In the News sustained by Earth’s resources. through northern Nigeria, northeastern Cameroon, southwestern Chad, and the 8 Membership Engagement Annual membership ($25) includes a one-year western region of the Central African 24 Washington View subscription to Population Connection magazine, Republic. Higher temperatures, shifting published quarterly. Population Connection winds and moisture levels that alter 26 Field & Outreach is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. As such, rainfall patterns, sandstorms, torrential 28 PopEd contributions, bequests, and gifts are fully tax- rain—all can change the quality or deductible in accordance with current laws. even the location of pasture on which 32 Cartoon Population Connection migrating herders depend. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images) 33 Editorial Excerpts 2120 L Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 332-2200 • (800) 767-1956 [email protected] populationconnection.org populationeducation.org popconnect.org/magazine-archives

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 1 Editor’s Note

ust after finishing graduate school, and before looking setting up new health posts and wanted to make sure there for a job in my chosen field, I seized the life-changing was interest among these very rural communities in having a opportunity to spend three months in Senegal, the local clinic before getting to work on the process of creating westernmostJ country in the African Sahel region. I went with one. In order to communicate with the women, Laura and I my husband, Alex, and a couple, Laura and John, who had spoke in flawed French to a translator who spoke to the women become some of our closest friends during the time that Laura in whichever of the three regional languages they spoke. The and I attended the London School of Economics and Political stories of loss we heard from these women were devastating. Science (LSE). Having both just gotten our masters degrees Many of them had lost babies and children to illness—some in Population and Development, we felt that it was important had lost more than one. And all of the women we talked with that we actually spend some time living and interning in a knew women who had died during pregnancy or childbirth or developing country—the decision to choose a francophone one in the period shortly after. And yet, when we asked the women was ambitious and probably ill advised, given that none of us whether they would use contraception if they had a new health were even close to fluent in French. (Oh, the enviable optimism post in their village, it seemed as though many of them weren’t of youth.) even sure what contraception was or how it could possibly pre- vent pregnancy. To be fair, this was 15 years ago, and I’m hoping We started out in a homestay about an hour north of the capital that outreach to remote areas has improved since then. city of Dakar, attending daily French classes with a local eccen- tric on his rooftop and getting to know our neighborhood and As the Sahel region grapples with extremely high fertility and playing with the children who screamed “toubab” (white person) population growth, drought and other consequences of climate every time they spotted us. We visited the beaches where the change, and entrenched poverty, the United States can (and fishermen came ashore with their daily hauls, and where wait- should) help by scaling up its foreign assistance. The Biden ing women collected their catches to sell at the nearby markets. administration is releasing its FY22 budget soon, but a preview We attended a World Cup qualifier game in a stadium peppered of the numbers shows that the global health request is going to with young police carrying machine guns. We sat around late be $800 million higher than our current spending level. We hope into the night with our hosts’ neighbors, eating thiéboudienne that much of that increase will be directed toward international (the national dish, which consists of fish, rice, and vegetables) family planning programs, which the U.S. is underfunding by with our hands out of the same large bowl, laughing about our more than $1 billion, according to the commitment we made cultural differences and trying to convince them that we were at the 1994 International Conference on Population and being truthful when we said we were full. Development in Cairo. For the sake of women and girls in Senegal, in the entire Sahel region, and in all low- and lower- After leaving our homestay to live in an apartment in Dakar on middle-income countries, it’s time that we make good on our our own for a couple weeks, we headed eight hours east to the pledge and provide the assistance needed to improve health and inland town of Tambacounda, where Laura and I had secured well-being and tackle global population challenges. internships with the NGO Africare. Our assignment was to Marian Starkey visit remote villages in the region and talk with women about [email protected] their health histories and barriers to access to reproductive Photo: John, Laura, me, and Alex in December 2005 in a remote health care, including family planning. Africare was considering village a couple hours from Tambacounda, Senegal

2 Population Connection — June 2021 Letters to the Editor Send correspondence to [email protected]. Attn: Marian Starkey Letters are also accepted via Population Connection postal mail. Letters may be 2120 L St NW, Suite 500 edited for clarity and length. Washington, DC 20037

It is wonderful work you do to help the planet as much as possible from overpopulation. You are one of only a few organizations that will talk about the obvious—the connection Here in Humboldt County, California, our once-pristine rivers between our sad environment and too many people. I would and tributaries are clouded with turbidity, choked in algae, and like to see an article directed to men about their responsibilities. polluted by fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and mining debris. You talk about all the women that you are helping with birth The otters that once patrolled local streams vanished decades control, abortions, etc., but you should also mention steriliza- ago with the collapse of the biodiversity they fed upon, victims tion for men. of habitat loss and diminishing fresh, clean water due to human Bonnie Scott activity. All but one of our region’s six large rivers are officially designated “impaired.” Thank you for all the critical work you do. I always try to read Population Connection cover-to-cover because it gives me The prerequisite for all historic social advancements and detailed insights into what’s happening on the population front humane, science-based public policies begins with ubiquitous worldwide. I find myself, again and again, in 100 percent agree- demands for change. ment with everything I read in Population Connection, and I George Clark appreciate the breadth and depth that I gain from reading it each quarter. I am concerned for two reasons about what Joanne Harrington Jaime Hunter wrote in her March letter to the editor. The first concern is that the author and friends have had difficulty finding physicians to Many of us in the environmental movement are closet sup- do tubal ligations. The second is that, unfortunately, people do porters of Population Connection simply to avoid conflict with change their minds, and Ms. Harrington doesn’t seem to take less progressive friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. That that into account. said, many of us in the environmental movement are also aca- demicians and we like to know the real science and the real I practiced obstetrics and gynecology in the same rural commu- data behind stories we read in your exceptional magazine. nity for 40 years. Before performing tubal ligations, I discussed Consequently, I would like to see scientific citations for many of the “terrible Ds”—divorce, death of the partner, and death of a the articles presented in Population Connection. child—to try to reduce the possibility of regret. The youngest woman I sterilized was 18. She had two children, cervical pre- Norman T. Baker, PhD cancer, and menstrual problems and chose hysterectomy as her treatment. I also put tubes back together for women who regret- Thank you for featuring last fall’s unprecedented California ted their surgery. Part of my reason for doing fertility surgery wildfires [in the March issue]. Population Connection has was that a woman might be more likely to have a tubal ligation rightfully attributed the worst fires in our history to a perfect if she knew that there was a possibility of putting her tubes back storm of overpopulation, climate chaos, and destructive public together in the future. My vision of my role as OB-GYN was policies serving influential, wealthy individuals and industries. that I was to serve the needs and desires of women when pos- Resistance to science-based solutions is increasing in tandem sible, and to not be judgmental. with these extraordinary, multiple crises. Richard Grossman

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 3 4 Population Connection — June 2021 Design by Mali Welch popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 5 In the News By Stacie Murphy, Director of Congressional Relations

UN Environment Even more shockingly, these cuts are Texas Blocks Planned Programme Issues being made despite the fact that signed Parenthood From Medicaid Blueprint for Addressing agreements for the higher amounts are Program Environmental Crises already in place—a practically unheard- of breach of faith on the part of a donor On March 10, a Texas judge ruled that A new report issued by the United government. The cuts come as the UK the state could proceed with its plan to Nations Environment Programme commits to lowering its overall inter- ban Planned Parenthood from partici- (UNEP), Making Peace With Nature, national development assistance budget pating in the state’s Medicaid program. offers a science-based road map for how to 0.5 percent of gross national income, The effort, which began in 2016, was to tackle climate change, biodiversity down from 0.7 percent. delayed by lawsuits in federal courts until loss, and pollution within the frame- Black Maternal Health early 2020, when the notoriously conser- work of the Sustainable Development “Momnibus” Bill vative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Goals. It points out that environmental Reintroduced in favor of Texas. Planned Parenthood challenges are undermining progress then unsuccessfully attempted further in meeting development goals and that A package of bills aimed at reducing litigation at the state level, arguing that the problem will only become worse if Black maternal deaths has been rein- Texas had not properly followed notifi- humanity does not radically alter its rela- troduced in the U.S. House and Senate. cation procedures. tionship with nature. It emphasizes that The so-called “Momnibus” (a play on the coming decade is a critical period for the word “omnibus,” which describes a Texas has one of the lowest income determining our long-term environmen- group of bills treated as a single measure) thresholds in the country for Medicaid tal trajectory and that environmental includes 12 bills intended to address eligibility. A single parent with two chil- preservation and human well-being must multiple facets of the Black maternal dren would have to make no more than be addressed jointly if we are to have any health crisis in the U.S., where Black $230 per month to qualify. A spokesper- chance at a sustainable future. people have a three-to-four-times higher son for Planned Parenthood South Texas United Kingdom Cuts Aid risk of death from pregnancy, birth, or said that Medicaid recipients accounted to UNFPA by 85 Percent postpartum complications than their for about 10 percent of patients in the white counterparts. area. In an astounding move described as COVID-19 Has Disrupted “devastating” by one official, the United While the prior version of the Momnibus Global Sexual and Kingdom has announced that it plans contained nine bills, the new version Reproductive Health and to decrease its funding for the United adds measures intended to help combat Rights Efforts on Multiple Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) by the heightened COVID-19 toll among Fronts 85 percent. Instead of the £154 million Black people as well as a new initiative (USD $215 million) originally promised highlighting the association between The COVID-19 pandemic has stalled for the purchase of contraceptive sup- pollution and pre-term birth. The bill is advancement on a whole array of human plies, the organization will receive only led in the House by Lauren Underwood rights and development goals, and there £23 million ($32 million). Core funding (D-IL) and Alma Adams (D-NC) and is evidence that it may actually reverse will be cut from £20 million ($28 mil- in the Senate by Cory Booker (D-NJ). progress in some instances. In a joint lion) to £8 million ($11 million). statement, the executive directors of

6 Population Connection — June 2021 UNICEF and UNFPA warned that contains a fetal personhood provision the case “does not present a close call. there may be an additional 2 million cases and a requirement that fetal remains be … In fact, based on the law, the Court of female genital mutilation (FGM) over buried or cremated, forbids state univer- is unable to fathom how another court the coming decade as the pandemic has sities from offering abortion, and bans could decide this issue differently than closed schools and disrupted programs mail delivery of abortion medication. how this Court has decided it.” The aimed at preventing the practice, which Court challenges are inevitable but had law is yet another attempt to create an has no health benefits and frequently not been filed at the time of the print opportunity for the Supreme Court to leads to lifelong complications. deadline for this issue. overturn Roe.

In a separate analysis, UNICEF found Arkansas South Dakota that the same disruptions may lead to In March, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) In March, Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed up to 10 million additional girls at risk signed a bill that would ban abortion a law banning abortion in cases where of child marriage over the same period. except to save the life of the pregnant genetic testing indicates that the fetus Economic stress and parental deaths are person. The bill is explicitly intended to may have Down syndrome. Providers also cited as risk factors that have been give the Supreme Court an opportunity who are aware of the diagnosis but per- exacerbated by the pandemic. Girls who to overturn Roe v. Wade. It would not form an abortion anyway may be charged marry as children face both immedi- take effect until later in the summer but with a felony. ate and long-term consequences. They is expected to be blocked by the courts are more likely to end schooling, face well before then. Tennessee domestic violence, and have an increased A pair of Tennessee legislators have probability of early and unplanned Montana introduced a bill that would give men the pregnancy, both of which increase the In late April, Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) right to veto a partner’s abortion decision likelihood of complications and death. signed a bill that bans abortion in the and does not contain any exception for state after 20 weeks’ gestation, requires cases of rape or incest. The legislation is In both cases, only sustained and com- doctors to offer patients an opportunity not expected to advance. Tennessee is mitted action by governments and other to view an ultrasound before the proce- also one of a number of states to have stakeholders can avert these potential dure, and places multiple restrictions on passed a near-total abortion ban in the outcomes. the use of medication abortion, includ- last year. That law has been blocked by State of the States: ing requiring that the medication be a federal court, but litigation is ongoing. Roundup of New U.S. administered in person rather than via Abortion Bills and Laws telehealth. No information about potential lawsuits was available at the time of Arizona our deadline. In late April, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed a bill into law that bans abortion South Carolina The online version of this article includes in cases where the fetus has a survivable A new state law banning abortions once a links to sources, in case you’d like to read genetic defect. Any doctor who know- fetal heartbeat can be detected—usually more than just these short blurbs. Find ingly performs such an abortion could around six weeks into a pregnancy—was it on our website at popconnect.org/ be charged with a felony. The bill also blocked by a federal judge who said that article/in-the-news-june-2021/

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 7 Population Connection members and supporters participated in our second all-virtual Earth Day in April, joining us for a month-long “Passport Series” of expert voices from around the world and a screening of the uplifting documentary 2040. In total, over 450 members and supporters joined us for at least one virtual Earth Day event!

Dr. Michelle Dubón Riju Dhakal Sajja Singh

Dr. Michelle Dubón, Riju Dhakal and Sajja Singh of YUWA, a youth-led organization Medical Director of based in Nepal, discussed YUWA’s work throughout Nepal, which is WINGS, spoke at length centered around sexual and reproductive health and rights activism. about WINGS’ provision of family planning services to Guatemala’s rural and marginalized people.

8 Population Connection — June 2021 Population Connection Page Turners Book Club

We hosted the second meeting of our Population Connection Page Turners book club in early May. Several staff members led a discussion of Elizabeth Kolbert’s newest book, Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future. The next book club meeting will take place in July—you can find more information, and sign up to join us, at popconnect.org/book-club.

Alisha Graves Lucie Ouedraogo 2040

Alisha Graves, Executive Director and Founder of OASIS, and Lucie Our series concluded with Ouedraogo, former Sahel Leadership Program Fellow at OASIS, a screening and discussion presented on how family planning, population, and environmental of 2040—a hopeful new issues intertwine in the Sahel region in Africa. film that focuses on some of the most innovative and effective solutions to climate change, including the empowerment of women and girls. If you missed any of these presentations, they’re available to view on our website at popconnect.org/earthday. We encourage you to contact us at [email protected] with questions on how to join any of our events, as well as to offer your own ideas for future events. We love hearing from you!

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 9 In West Africa, Climate Change Equals Conflict. The region is the poster child for insecurities already brought on by global warming.

Local women in Birni-N’Konni, Niger. Agriculture makes up almost 40 percent of Niger’s gross domestic product, and more than 80 percent of the population live in rural areas. (UNOPS/Ricci Shryock)

10 Population Connection — June 2021 popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 11 Female farmers in Maradi, Niger (UNOPS/Ricci Shryock) In countries already impacted by searing inequalities, fast-growing and youthful populations, By Robert Muggah | Originally published by Foreign Policy on February 18, 2021 overreliance on agriculture, serious ne of the many injustices of recent report. Globally, the period from climate change is it hits the 2011 to 2020 was the hottest decade world’s poorest countries ever recorded. West Africa’s Sahel—the corruption, Ohardest. African nations, many of which vast zone of semi-arid grasslands that register the highest levels of poverty and lies south of the Sahara Desert—was and weak emit the least carbon dioxide, are already affected more than most regions, with being ravaged by global warming. The temperatures rising 1.5 times the inter- governance, reasons for this are straightforward: national average. Scenarios developed by With roughly 60 percent of the sub- the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate the risks of Saharan population depending on Change suggest that temperatures could agriculture to survive, food insecurity climb up to 6 degrees Celsius by the end is intensified by disruptions to rain of the century. Across the region’s 17 climate change cycles, planting seasons, and harvests. countries, intensifying heat is contrib- Making matters worse, new forecasts uting to more prolonged droughts and triggering the predict that rising sea levels will threaten rainfall, which in turn affects land-use vulnerable coastal communities due to patterns for farmers, herders, and their onset, escalation, flooding and erosion, salinizing arable livestock. The World Bank believes a land, and disrupting inland and coastal situation of deteriorating environmental and resurgence fisheries. As people migrate and tensions conditions and weak governance could over diminishing resources escalate, the tip some fragile countries into outright of armed conflict threats of social unrest and organized conflict. Many of the states categorized violence are already apparent. by the World Bank as fragile are also ranked among those most vulnerable are especially West Africa is the poster child for inse- to climate change, whether in terms of curities associated with global warming, exposure to extreme weather events or high. as the Igarapé Institute described in a the extent of population affected.

12 Population Connection — June 2021 Rabi, a cattle breeder from Maradi, Niger, says, “Sometimes, we must sacrifice, not eating in order to be able to buy food for the cows because we don’t have enough money and since there is not enough pasture.” (UNOPS/Ricci Shryock)

Social scientists describe climate change land, shifting livestock grazing, and vio- disease that has killed thousands and as a “threat multiplier” because of how it lence are increasingly hard to ignore. displaced millions in Benin, Ivory Coast, exacerbates the risk factors that already Senegal, and Togo. The relocation of give rise to instability. In countries West Africa’s coastal populations face populations is generating pressure on already impacted by searing inequalities, especially worrying risks from climate cities and villages with limited capaci- fast-growing and youthful populations, change. Demographers predict that as ties to service new arrivals. The economic overreliance on agriculture, serious cor- many as 85 million people could inhabit burden of environmental degradation in ruption, and weak governance, the risks the region’s coastal cities by 2050. The these four countries totaled $3.8 billion, of climate change triggering the onset, World Bank likewise estimates that or 5.3 percent of their combined GDP, escalation, and resurgence of armed con- around 6,500 square kilometers of the in 2017 alone. flict are especially high. While intensely region’s coastal areas could be severely debated by climate scientists, the degraded by rising sea levels. The social Rising seas and a greater likelihood of complex relationships among rising tem- and economic costs are mounting. storm surges are affecting food produc- peratures, ecosystem resilience, seasonal Storm surges and rain-triggered floods tion for vulnerable coastal populations. rainfall variability, changes to arable are damaging cities, setting back devel- Changes in water temperature and opment, and generating the spread of erosion are triggering the migration popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 13 Meri Mahaman is the head of a female farmers union in El Kolta, Maradi Region, Niger, where food shortages mean residents often have to travel to neighboring towns to buy vital supplies. This means more time spent traveling to get food and less focus on developing local agriculture. “If people here stop buying food elsewhere, it will help our [local] economy and food will be in abundance,” explains Meri. (UNOPS/Ricci Shryock)

14 Population Connection — June 2021 popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 15 of fish stocks while salinization is con- livestock in contested terrain. Disputes West Africa’s taminating arable land and ground water often turn violent due to competition for reserves. Due to a combination of water and pastoralists overusing farmers’ climate impacts and severe overfishing— fields or crops. Extremist networks are coastal including from Chinese and European taking advantage of the violent compe- trawlers—the maximum catch potential tition between farmers and pastoralists populations for fish could decline by 30 percent or to advance their causes. These tensions more in the Gulf of Guinea, a region flare up when local governance and tra- face especially where around 4.8 million people rely ditional customs for resolving disputes on fishing to sustain their livelihoods. fail. Many times, political and economic worrying Senegalese fishermen are increasingly elites are also involved in exacerbating crossing the border to Mauritania to fish, violent conflict. risks from which has led to violent exchanges with the Mauritanian coast guard. Violent Notwithstanding the fiendishly com- spats over fishing grounds are not new, plex challenges ahead, a wide range climate change. but as sea levels rise, such altercations of governments and organizations are will multiply, provoking further conflict. experimenting with ways to alleviate Demographers these threats, including through geoen- Climate change is also accelerating gineering. The most ambitious project predict that migration and displacement in West is the Great Green Wall, a $14 billion Africa, especially in the Sahel. Today, initiative spanning 21 countries. The as many as 85 roughly 25 million Sahelian herders of wall was initiated in 2007 to restore 247 cattle, sheep, goats, and other livestock million acres of degraded land by plant- travel south with their animals during the ing trees and bushes, which will have million people dry season and then back north during the added effect of sequestering some the wet season. Prolonged dry seasons, 275 million tons of carbon. Supported could inhabit the shortened rainy seasons, and less regular by the African Union and funded by rainfall are generating new uncertain- the European Union, United Nations, region’s coastal ties for pastoralists, requiring new herd and World Bank, the wall is expected management methods and undermining to be completed by 2030. Additionally, cities by 2050. delicate ecosystems. Competition over in 2019, the African Development Bank grazing land, reduced access to water, launched a $1.3 billion investment in and the erosion of customary dispute the Sahel Commission’s investment plan resolution mechanisms are accelerating and a $20 million solar energy initiative. retaliatory cycles of violence. The entire West African region aims to increase the share of renewable energy in Flash points include the border between the electricity supply from 35 to 48 per- Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as cent by 2030. Nigeria’s so-called Middle Belt region. Studies by early warning organizations Progress on the Great Green Wall, how- such as the International Crisis Group ever, is slower than expected. Nigeria and and Search For Common Ground, as Senegal, for example, have reforested well as regional bodies such as the United thousands of acres of land, though simi- Nations Office for West Africa and the lar efforts in Burkina Faso and Mali have Sahel, underline how multifaceted these been hampered by extremist violence. conflicts are. There are frequent cases of Heavy-handed interventions to quell military, militia, and police clashing with tensions between farmers and pastoral- pastoralists who are forced to graze their ists, as well as government operations

16 Population Connection — June 2021 “You know, before there were not many residents here. But now, there are too many people. So, the little space there was left for cultivation and for grazing has now been totally cultivated,” explains Harouna Garba, a cattle breeder of 15 years who lives in Maradi, Niger. (UNOPS/Ricci Shryock)

to combat extremist violence such as More promising are multilateral and local efforts to build environmen- Nigeria’s Operation Cat Race and efforts to address long-festering envi- tal, economic, and social resilience, will Operation Whirl Stroke, have yielded ronmental issues that could worsen be critical for addressing the interlock- mixed results. Likewise, the Nigerian under climate change, including the ing crises that will become increasingly government’s introduction of so-called Lake Chad Basin Commission first likely as climate change continues. The cattle colonies to provide protection and established in 1964. In recent years, global community would do well to step services for pastoralists has struggled the commission has mediated water- up its involvement because these issues to deliver positive outcomes. Growing related tensions among Cameroon, will dominate its agenda sooner than it numbers of international and national Chad, Niger, and Nigeria—and helped thinks. agencies are advocating for environ- set the stage for stabilization strategies mental peace building to encourage that include channeling humanitarian Robert Muggah is a principal at the SecDev competitors to tackle shared environ- and development assistance, address- Group, a co-founder of the Igarapé Institute, mental threats, but these proposals have ing unsustainable farming practices, and and the author, with Ian Goldin, of Terra yet to gain traction. introducing drought-resistant crops. Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next Such transnational coalitions, along with 100 Years. the scaling-up of promising national popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 17 On the Cusp of Famine “Nowhere scares me more than the Sahel … we are close to a tipping point” Caught between jihadists and climate change, the region faces an almighty humanitarian crisis. Will Brown reports from Burkina Faso. Pictures by Simon Townsley. Originally published by the Telegraph.

he malnutrition ward is so packed that staff are using broken incubators to block the corridorsT and stop the ward becoming completely overwhelmed by mothers and their starving children.

Rasmata Cisse, a tiny five-year-old, is standing in the corridor, her legs so ema- ciated they look like they could snap at any moment.

The wards around her in Kaya central hospital in northern Burkina Faso are full of children who are lying three to a bed.

One boy is curled up, his skin covered Above: Broken incubators block the hospital corridors. Below: Ousseni Diallo has been unable in sores and infections from the hunger, to feed her child since she stopped producing breast milk. Opposite: Dr. Dabíré Germain moaning in pain. Another lies shivering, eyes closed, blood leaking out of his ear from an unknown infection.

The women sitting on the floor next to their starved children say they feel help- less. Their stories vary, but fundamentally they are the same: Masked gunmen came to their villages and drove them away from their crops and animals. Now they have nothing to eat.

“We fled the men with guns in the village. Now we are not eating enough. I have no milk left in my breasts to feed my son,” says Ousseni.

18 Population Connection — June 2021 The flood of refugees and internally displaced Dr. Dabíré Germain, the hospital’s head of the Sahel which are already struggling people (IDPs) are pediatrician, looks exhausted—his ward with a lack of jobs for their booming is running at 130 percent capacity, and populations, climate change, and cyclical now beginning to he is short of almost everything, includ- bouts of mass hunger. ing doctors. overwhelm the These problems have combined to cre- impoverished “The health centers in many villages have ate one of the most complex and rapidly been closed because of the fighting. So expanding humanitarian crises on earth, nations of the a lot more people are coming here to a crisis that is only getting worse. Sahel, which are the central hospital,” says Dr. Germain. “I just don’t understand. The population In the landlocked nations of Burkina already struggling is so impoverished. Why are they being Faso, Mali, and Niger—which have attacked?” a combined population equal to the with a lack of jobs UK—some 7.2 million children need for their booming Across the vast arid Sahel region, south humanitarian assistance, according to of the Sahara Desert, a fierce war with UNICEF. populations, climate jihadists allied to Al Qaeda and Islamic State has displaced millions of people. Aid workers struggle to get access to change, and cyclical many parts of the region, fearing either bouts of mass The flood of refugees and internally dis- improvised explosive devices or random placed people (IDPs) are now beginning attacks. Humanitarians now say they hunger. to overwhelm the impoverished nations are struggling to see a solution amid popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 19 The now abandoned half-built mansion of Blaise Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s former president, on the road between Kaya and Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, and northeast ever-escalating violence from an array of large generation of youngsters who have armed groups. no hope of a better life,” Jan Egeland, Nigeria are at “a the Secretary General of the Norwegian Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Refugee Council, told the Telegraph. true epicenter Niger, and northeast Nigeria are at “a true epicenter of conflict and insecurity, weak Hunger is perhaps the most pressing of conflict and governance, chronic underdevelopment issue for the displaced masses. Farming and poverty, demographic pressures, in the Sahel is almost completely done by insecurity, weak and climate change,” Mark Lowcock, hand by smallholder subsistence farmers. governance, [the United Nations Under-Secretary- Long before the jihadists came, many of General for Humanitarian Affairs and these farmers were facing inconsistent chronic Emergency Relief Coordinator], said in rains, depleted soils, and desertification. October. An estimated 80 percent of the region’s underdevelopment farmland is already degraded, according “Nowhere scares me more than the to the UN. and poverty, Sahel,” Mr. Lowcock added. The region “is very close to a tipping point—and so, At the same time, a growing conflict demographic by extension, are its African neighbors, between herders and farmers over ara- pressures, and Europe, and the world.” ble land has been exploited by jihadists. This has created a dizzyingly complex climate change.” “There are few regions in the world that communitarian layer to the war against worry us as much as the Sahel, because the extremists. As government forces of this lethal cocktail of climate change have retreated out of rural areas, eth- and endless, escalating conflicts and a nic self-defense militias, traffickers, and

20 Population Connection — June 2021 extremists have sprung up to fill the void, Soum Province. The northern region, Burkina Faso has deteriorated the fast- meaning many villagers are now simply which borders Mali, has seen heavy fight- est. Six years ago, the country was one too scared to return to their fields for ing with jihadists allied to the Islamic of the most peaceful states in Africa and harvest. State in the Greater Sahara. She says the had never seen a terrorist attack. Now, village was attacked twice by around 40 more than a million Burkinabes have The human debris of the war is all to 60 masked men on motorbikes, who been displaced. Thousands of schools around cities like Kaya. The dusty city shot at everyone they saw. “They killed have been closed in rural areas because was home to around 80,000 people in many, many. The first time they attacked, the extremists have targeted and killed 2012. But since 2016, tens of thousands they killed nine people. The second time teachers who teach Western subjects like of people seeking a modicum of safety they killed five.” French. have walked into the city, and its population has ballooned. She trekked for days through the bush And aid workers say half a million with dozens of other survivors. On the Burkinabe children under five are acutely Awa Sawadogo, a woman in her mid- way, one 19-year-old woman who had malnourished. In October, WFP officials 30s, sits on a plastic chair in a small aid recently given birth to a baby died sud- said that over 10,000 people were “one distribution center in Kaya, breastfeed- denly in the night. “It was the fear,” Ms. step short of famine.” ing a baby who is not hers. The mother Sawadogo says simply. is a relative who has not been able to The food crisis is likely only to get worse produce milk since her family fled their Now, more than 7 million people face in the coming years. Officials see the home earlier this year, she explains, acute hunger in Burkina Faso, Mali, and region as a canary in the coal mine for stroking the child’s head. Niger as armed groups cut off access to climate change. The Sahel regularly hits supplies and farmland, according to the temperatures above 40°C, but some cli- Ms. Sawadogo comes from a village near World Food Programme (WFP). mate scientists believe this could rise the town of Arbinda in Burkina Faso’s 3 to 5°C warmer in 30 years. popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 21 Displaced Sahelians find themselves Sitting in the shade of a tree, in front of and children behind Mr. Zaonao take with practically no social safety net the mass of his cross-legged guests, the their time to count. Eventually, one other than humanitarian and religious impoverished 60-year-old mystic chor- man says they have seen more than 20 organizations, family members, and tles at his water bill and the smell from people killed by attackers. When asked well-meaning strangers. One tradi- his constantly blocked squat toilet. who they think attacked them, no one tional healer in Kaya has gone above and answers. beyond the call of civic duty. Two years But his jolliness subsides when he starts ago, Ragnoubou Zaonao opened his to talk about the war just beyond the One elderly man sitting next to Mr. small home to 85 people who had fled city’s borders. “I feel so sad to think Zaonao pipes up over the throng of the fighting in their village of Dablo. that human beings can do this to other voices: “We are scared. Whoever attacked human beings. We don’t know where us could come here. A day is enough for The displaced people now live alongside this hatred started,” he says. “These peo- them to ride into town.” 14 members of Mr. Zaonao’s own family ple have nowhere to go. No food and no under a few shelters in his dusty, litter- place to sleep. We have got no help from “I am not optimistic that there will be strewn compound. During the day, the the government.” peace. To return to my land means I’m men go out to find jobs in construction, going to my death.” while the women cook what food they When asked how many people they have. saw killed, the crowd of men, women,

Traditional healer Ragnoubou Zaonao (front) is sheltering 85 displaced people—as well as 14 members of his own family—at his home in Kaya.

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V Change Is Underway By Stacie Murphy, Director of Congressional Relations ashington W

s the Biden administration for robust funding for international fam- the United States, there are important continues to fill key staff ily planning. exceptions to the ban on federal fund- positions and roll out new ing for abortion, whereas there are none initiatives,A there is a growing sense Helms Repeal Bill with regard to U.S. foreign assistance), among family planning advocates Reintroduced and dangerous to the lives of those who that we are on the verge of some truly On March 9, Rep. Jan Schakowsky will seek unsafe abortions in the absence wonderful progress. (D-IL), joined by Reps. Barbara Lee of access to safe abortion services. (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Ayanna Budget Season Begins Pressley (D-MA), Diana DeGette The impact of repeal would be dramatic. As is typical during the first year of a (D-CO), Norma Torres (D-CA), and The Guttmacher Institute, looking only presidential administration, the budget freshman member Marilyn Strickland at countries where abortion is legal in process is starting off a little later than (D-WA), reintroduced the Abortion at least some circumstances and where normal. In mid-April, the Biden admin- is Health Care Everywhere Act the U.S. already supports family plan- istration released a preview of its budget (H.R. 1670). The bill would amend the ning programs, found that if the Helms request for FY 2022. In it, the administra- Foreign Assistance Act to repeal the Amendment were repealed and U.S. tion says it will be requesting $10 billion Helms Amendment and replace it with funding helped support safe abortion, for global health—that’s an $800 million language explicitly stating that U.S. each year those countries would see: increase over the current funding level. foreign assistance funds can be used to • 19 million fewer unsafe abortions, The preview budget suggests that the provide comprehensive reproductive • 17,000 fewer maternal deaths, bulk of this increase should be spent on health care, including abortion services. • 98 percent fewer maternal deaths global health security. The global health due to abortion, and budget is part of an overall international Since 1973, the Helms Amendment has • 12 million fewer women who have affairs funding request of $63.5 billion— prohibited the use of U.S. foreign assis- abortion-related complications $6.8 billion more than the current level. tance funding for abortion “as a method requiring medical treatment. of family planning.” The language has The more detailed budget proposal with been interpreted as an outright ban on Because the Helms Amendment is individual program funding levels is the use of such funds for abortion ser- part of permanent statute, congressio- expected in May, after the print dead- vices under all circumstances, including nal action is required to repeal it. The line for this issue. Both the House and in cases of rape and incest and when the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Senate will wait for this more detailed life of the pregnant person is threatened Act, first introduced in the last (116th) outline before releasing their own pro- by the pregnancy. Congress, is the only bill ever introduced posed numbers. Meanwhile, we continue to repeal Helms. In a statement on the to advocate with our allies on the Hill The Helms Amendment has been rightly newly reintroduced bill, Congresswoman criticized as imperialistic, hypocritical (in Schakowsky said:

24 Population Connection — June 2021 Making abortion legal isn’t the begin- Initially, the Hyde Amendment was only means patients must pay out-of-pocket ning of women having abortions. It’s applied to Medicaid, a joint state/federal for the procedure. Costs vary widely the end of women dying from abor- health program for low-income people. depending on location, length of preg- tions. It means that women will have Because the amendment restricts fund- nancy, and type of abortion chosen, but what I think is the fundamental ing for the Department of Health and an uninsured patient can expect to spend choice that describes their freedom: Human Services (HHS), it also impacts at least $500—an enormous burden for the right to control the size of their abortion funding under other programs, someone already struggling financially. families. including Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Biden Moves to Undo Domestic EACH Act Reintroduced Indian Health Service. In the years since Gag Rule On March 25, Sen. Tammy Duckworth its introduction, similar language has On April 14, HHS released a pro- (D-IL) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) made its way into other federal programs, posed new rule for Title X, the U.S. reintroduced the Equal Access to including the military health insurance domestic family planning program for Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance program, the federal employees insur- low-income individuals. The new rule Act of 2021 (The EACH Act S.1021/ ance program, the Peace Corps, and even would undo the onerous restrictions H.R.2234). The EACH Act would do the Affordable Care Act (ACA). placed on the program under the Trump away with the Hyde Amendment and administration. That rule—dubbed guarantee abortion coverage to people Because contributions to Medicaid come the Domestic Gag Rule—which went who get their health insurance through from both states and the federal govern- into effect in 2019, has had devastat- the federal government. It would also ment, states can choose to more broadly ing effects. An estimated 981 clinics left forbid state and federal governments cover abortions, as long as they use their the program in 2019, slashing Title X’s from prohibiting abortion coverage in own money. Currently, only 16 states do capacity by half and jeopardizing care for private insurance plans. so. The District of Columbia has done 1.6 million patients. Six states (Hawaii, so in the past, but because its budget Maine, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and First authored by Rep. Henry Hyde is subject to congressional approval, its Washington) were left with no remain- (R-IL) in 1976, the Hyde Amendment residents’ access is intermittent. ing Title X-funded providers. is not part of statutory law. Instead, it has been included as part of the congres- The Hyde Amendment is a signifi- Because this is a regulatory change, sional appropriations process every year cant equity issue: People enrolled in rather than a legislative one, there is a since 1977. It forbids the use of federal Medicaid are, by definition, low-income; defined process that must be followed. It dollars to pay for abortions, except in they are more likely to be people of will take, at a minimum, several months cases of rape, incest, and when the life of color; and they are more likely to experi- for the new regulation to take effect, and the pregnant person is threatened. ence an unintended pregnancy. Lack of even longer for providers to rejoin the Medicaid coverage for abortion services program. popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 25 2021 Digital Capitol Hill Days Turned Inspiration Into Action

utreach By YoVanna Solomon, Advocacy and Outreach Fellow & O ield F

his year, over 200 people from Thanks to Our Lead Volunteers! “My favorite part about Capitol across the country joined us None of this would have been possible Hill Days was that I was able virtually from the safety of without the support and dedication to take part in the event as theirT homes to advocate for reproductive of our Capitol Hill Days Leads, a core both an audience member and rights around the world during our 2021 group of volunteers who worked tirelessly as a Lead Volunteer. As a Lead Digital Capitol Hill Days. to schedule lobby meetings, facilitate Volunteer, I enjoyed scheduling participant engagement, help orchestrate and, later on, leading meetings Congressional Meetings and sessions, and lead constituent meetings. with the offices of members of Digital Day of Action A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Liz Congress. I really valued the After five days of workshops and train- Boucher, Adjoa Cofie, Colette Picchietti conversations that my lobby ings (session titles and speakers at right), Cragin, Danielle D’Angelo, Nohely Diaz, team members and I had with activists began to file into the Zoom room Josie Erdy, Kyrah Hughley, Ranjana Iyer, staffers.” early Monday morning feeling confident Madison Peterson, and Katie Yeager. –Nohely Diaz and prepared for their constituent meet- Wednesday, March 17 Board of Directors • Janet Larsen, Founder & ings. We had 86 participants who met Voices From the Frontlines: • María Antonieta Alcalde Castro, Principal, One Planet Strategies with the offices of over 90 of their sena- Advocacy and Action for Director, Ipas Central America tors and representatives to advocate for Reproductive Health and Mexico Saturday, March 20 The Fight for LGBTQ+ the Global HER Act and for increased Worldwide • Zara Ahmed, Associate Director of Federal Issues, Guttmacher Reproductive Health and U.S. investment in international family • Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Institute Rights at Home and Abroad planning and reproductive health ser- Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health • Serra Sippel, President, Center • Colorado State Representative vices worldwide. Our participants met • Sandra Castañeda, General for Health and Gender Equity Leslie Herod directly with key members of Congress, Coordinator, Red de Salud (CHANGE) • Annemarie Kamuyu, including Reps. Julia Brownley, Salud • Michelle Dubón, Medical Operations Manager, National Carbajal, Judy Chu, Ann Kirkpatrick, Director, WINGS Guatemala Friday, March 19 Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Population, Reproductive Commission David Price, and Jamie Raskin. Health, and Climate Thursday, March 18 • Grace Kamau, Regional Pushing Forward a Bold Resiliency: Views From Latin Coordinator, Africa Sex Workers The activists made sure their elected Agenda on International America and East Africa Alliance officials understood their desire for the Reproductive Health and • Rodrigo Barillas, Executive • Luisa Orza, HIV & Gender prioritization of global reproductive Rights Director, WINGS Guatemala; Technical Lead, Frontline AIDS health. Additionally, roughly 400 people • Keynote: Rep. Jan Schakowsky Member, Population from across the country joined them in (D-IL-9) Connection Board of Directors Sunday, March 21 • Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, The Politics of Family flooding congressional offices with over • Dara Purvis, Associate Dean for Founder and CEO, Conservation Planning 1,200 emails, phone calls, and social Research and Partnerships and Professor of Law, Penn State Through Public Health • Stacie Murphy, Director of media posts. We also stormed Twitter University School of Law; Vice • Steven Bloomstein, President, Congressional Relations, with a #Fight4HER “rally,” reaching Chair, Population Connection Turimiquire Foundation Population Connection over 5.3 million people.

26 Population Connection — June 2021 Constituent Power Continues to Grow In the weeks following Capitol Hill Days, we have met with attendees to discuss their experience at the event and help channel their inspiration into action. Many of the folks we met with had never lobbied before and found the opportunity to be both empowering and enlightening. Speaking with the offices of their elected officials illuminated the power that they hold as constituents to influence the policy decisions that shape the reproductive lives of people around the world. A few particularly motivated Images, from top to bottom: activists have chosen to amplify their Rep. Jan Schakowsky giving her keynote voices by submitting letters to the editors address (over Zoom) of their local papers, while others have A lobby meeting with Rep. Carbajal, his staffer, constituent Rogan Thompquist, committed to continuing the dialogue and Lindsay Apperson, our National Field around reproductive health and rights Manager through hosting their own kitchen table A lobby meeting with Rep. Kirkpatrick, her conversations. Thanks to the success of staffer, and constituents Danielle D’Angelo, Capitol Hill Days, our community of Kyrah Hughley, and Shilpita Sen activists continues to grow!

“I’m really shy and generally try to avoid speaking in front of people. But it felt good to push myself beyond my boundaries to advocate for something that matters so much to me. I’m proud of myself for lobbying!” –Jazmine John

You can watch session videos here: popconnect.org/capitol-hill-days-2021/ and read our blog post recapping the event here: popconnect.org/digital- capitol-hill-days-2021-recap/

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 27 Meeting the Moment: Students Tackle Timely Issues in 2020-2021 Video Contest By Pamela Wasserman, SVP for Education, and Isabelle Rios, Student Engagement Specialist d E o p P

his marks the 10th year to rethink our approach to everything of our popular World of from agriculture and consumerism 7 Billion Student Video to reproductive health and infectious Honorable Mentions Contest,T which engages middle and disease testing. High School high school students in a range of environmental and social issues related Many of the submissions come out “Stop the Mistreatment of to human population pressures. of classroom assignments. Each Indigenous People” September, the World of 7 Billion Anna Paradise For the 3,000+ students from 44 website debuts background readings Harborfield High School countries (including 49 U.S. states for students on the new contest topics, Greenlawn, New York and territories) who took part in the plus filmmaking tips and resources, a “Climate Migrants” 2020–2021 contest, there were unique graphic organizer, judging rubric, and Valerie Xiong challenges posed by COVID-19, related lesson plans for teachers. This Piedmont High School including working remotely on their school year, PopEd staff even visited Piedmont, California video projects with fewer opportuni- classrooms remotely to answer stu- ties for collaboration with classmates. dent questions as they prepared their “Polluted to Pure” Emmy Yang videos. Eastside Preparatory School In addition to the pandemic, events Kirkland, Washington exposing racial injustices dominated A panel of 60 judges, including edu- headlines in the U.S. and abroad in cators, filmmakers, and policy experts, “Watching the World” 2020. For this year’s video topics selected the winners from a pool of Grace Kaneshiro International School of Indiana (Promoting Environmental Justice, finalists determined by our Population Indianapolis, Indiana Strengthening Global Health, and Education staff. High school winners Re-Imagining Industrial Systems), received $1,200 for first place, $600 “Lab-Grown Meat—Future we wanted to meet the moment and for second place, and $300 for honor- Proteins” give students a chance to explore the able mention. Middle school winners Jensen Coonradt issues of the day in more depth, espe- received $600 for first place and $300 Oswego East High School cially how they relate to Population for second place. Oswego, Illinois Connection’s work. “Digging Earth’s Grave” You can view this year’s winning Crystalia Evelyn Liaw While these are challenging topics, entries, along with students’ pho- Sinarmas World Academy students’ productions showed their tos and bios, on our contest website: Tangerang, Indonesia research, thoughtfulness, and hope. worldof7billion.org. Their proposed solutions ask society

28 Population Connection — June 2021 Promoting Environmental Justice

1st Place, High School 2nd Place, High School “Food (Deserts) for Thought” “Erase the Redline”

Rana Duan Tian Hsu Grade 12, Dulles High School Grade 12, St. Paul’s Girls’ School Sugar Land, Texas London, United Kingdom Rana’s first place finish this year comes Though she lives across the pond, after winning honorable mentions in Tian was inspired to learn more about the 2019 and 2020 contests for videos structural racism in the United States, on climate resiliency and biodiversity especially after the events of 2020. threats. This year, she used colorful ani- This led her to research the practice of mation to explain the problem of food redlining and to connect unfair residen- deserts in underserved communities and tial zoning to health and climate issues. to offer solutions for bringing healthy Tian has produced films for the U.K.’s food options to people everywhere. 2020 Youth Climate Summit and for This fall, Rana will be entering The her school’s environmental assemblies. University of Texas at Austin, where she She hopes to pursue a career in sustain- plans to study economics and prepare able architecture. for a career in environmental policy.

1st Place, Middle School 2nd Place, Middle School “A Solution to E-Waste” “Environmental Racism”

Henry Zitoun Stephanie Akinfolarin Grade 7, Shorewood Intermediate School Grade 8, Westerly School Shorewood, Wisconsin Long Beach, California A first-time filmmaker, Henry focused Stephanie used animation software to on the hazardous working conditions explain the connections between racial at e-waste dumping sites, especially at a and environmental injustices and to notorious one in Ghana. “I discovered propose solutions to create more health- that the amount of devices outnum- ful living conditions in historically bered the global population and began underserved communities, including to wonder what happens to all these designating more green spaces and devices when people are done with introducing more restrictions on the them.” His video attempts to answer the placement of polluting industries. questions he had and also proposes what consumers can do to be better stewards of the environment and communities around the globe.

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 29 Strengthening Global Health

1st Place, High School 2nd Place, High School “Wonder Women” “The Importance of Maternal Health” Alaina Smith Grade 12, Mt. Lebanon High School Amrita Guha Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Grade 9, Alsion Middle/High Montessori Alaina channeled her passion for wom- School en’s health and advocacy into a winning Fremont, California video on maternal mortality rates Amrita mastered claymation (stop- around the world and their connection motion animation using original clay to high fertility and other population creations) to raise awareness about trends. She first learned about popula- women’s reproductive health issues and tion issues in her AP Environmental their connection to population trends, Science class and is especially interested something she first learned about in her in advocating for women’s empower- AP Environmental Science class. Her ment and family planning access. She’ll work on social justice includes her local be entering The College of William and community—she recently co-founded a Mary this fall and hopes to pursue a nonprofit organization to combat anti- career in public health policy. Asian hate. 1st Place, Middle School 2nd Place, Middle School “Fossil Fuels and Our Health” “Amping Up Testing”

Kayla Brezenski Kennedy Merkel Grade 8, Detroit Country Day School Grade 7, Shorewood Intermediate School Beverly Hills, Michigan Shorewood, Wisconsin Through her white-board drawings, The pandemic was very much on Kayla explains how pollution from the Kennedy’s mind last fall when she burning of fossil fuels contributes to a thought of a way to increase testing for host of health problems (cardiovascular COVID-19 through the U.S. mail. Her and respiratory diseases, cancer, and teacher, Sarah Kopplin, has long been more). She wanted to share her research assigning the World of 7 Billion contest because “people are aware of [fossil to her middle school students and helps fuels’] effect on the earth, but not on our them work on different parts of the health.” Her winning video advocates assignment over a period of months. for a more rapid change to renewable energy sources.

30 Population Connection — June 2021 Re-Imagining Industrial Systems

1st Place, High School 2nd Place, High School “Carbon Tagging—a Solution “What Nobody Tells You About to Consumer-Fueled Carbon Your Favorite Products” Emissions” Luana Hasson de Lima Escamilla Aidan Hurlock Grade 12, Colégio FAAP Grade 9, Barrington High School São Paulo, Brazil Barrington, Rhode Island Luana’s video considers the social Judges were impressed with Aidan’s idea justice issues related to mica, a common of labeling everyday consumer goods ingredient in cosmetics that is often with environmental impact data. By mined by child laborers. “Many young putting a label on a product, he figured, people feel that they cannot do anything

“people can compare the CO2 emissions to change the world, but just talking and may be more likely to choose items about issues and giving them visibility that have a lesser impact.” Aidan’s inter- already creates a great impact on our est in filmmaking and the environment community.” Last fall, Luana started a dates to fifth grade, when he started his non-profit, Fluxo Sem Tabu, which pro- own YouTube channel and took Jane vides sanitary napkins to those in need, Goodall’s MasterClass on conservation. breaking the menstruation taboo. 1st Place, Middle School 2nd Place, Middle School “Managing E-Waste” “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)” Arnav Bali Grade 7, Central Middle School Emalee Leishman Edgewater, Maryland Grade 8, Idaho Arts Charter School Arnav’s hobby of fixing and rebuilding Nampa, Idaho electronics led him to focus his winning Emalee advocates for more sustainable video on e-waste. He was surprised to and humane farming practices. Her find out “how much e-waste goes to video deftly explains the environmental poor countries. I don’t think it is fair impacts of CAFOs, the source of most that the waste goes there when many of of the meat we buy in grocery stores. those countries are already struggling.” This is her second year participating in He’s won prior awards for videos focus- the World of 7 Billion contest and her ing on the endangered bee population first year as a winner. and on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Arnav recently purchased a green screen and may use his winnings for tools to help his filmmaking.

popconnect.org June 2021 — Population Connection 31 Cartoon

32 Population Connection — June 2021 Editorial Excerpts

How big a deal is it that California’s congressional delegation As Joe Biden picks up the pieces in the aftermath of the Trump will drop from 53 to 52, the first such loss in representation administration, the U.S. President on January 28 rescinded the since statehood in 1850? … Global Gag Rule (GGR). By signing the Memorandum on Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad Biden Census figures released Monday showed that 39,538,223 peo- affirms the policy of the new administration to support “wom- ple lived in the state in 2020, continuing a population-growth en’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the plateau that began 10 years ago. U.S. as well as globally,” a welcome step in undoing the regres- sive GGR. It’s a turning point to be sure, and of course no state would prefer a smaller share of power to a larger one. …

But it’s hardly a stunning setback. In fact it’s part of a long- Although advocacy groups and NGOs have been quick to sup- running shift not away from us, but toward us. In the last 10 port Biden’s action, it is believed that the long-term effects of years, California grew by 2 million people. That’s more than the GGR have set back efforts to provide integrated HIV/ the total populations in 14 other states. California’s congres- AIDS services in affected countries by years. Long-term rela- sional delegation remains by far the largest and will continue to tionships with NGOs who chose not to accept U.S. funding be for quite some time. California has been the nation’s most have been disrupted, and many NGOs may be wary of accept- populous state since 1962 and is likely to remain so for many ing funding going forward. decades. … The Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights Act has Yet all that growth, which fueled what some have called the been reintroduced to Congress by a bipartisan group of U.S. California dream, has paradoxically endangered that dream legislators. If passed, the Act would permanently prohibit the by straining our natural and economic resources. The state has GGR by allowing foreign NGOs to provide safe abortion care, matured and could use a little breathing room to catch up with counseling, referrals, and advocacy by using their own non-U.S. itself. funds, removing the threat of the GGR by executive order.

… The GGR has been a flawed health policy squarely aimed at appeasing a right-wing political agenda and ideology, a policy Texas, the population runner-up, gained two seats and will get steeped in inequity where predominantly white male decision a roughly corresponding share of those federal funds. Along makers had scant regard for the lives of thousands of mostly with a tip of the hat, California might want to offer a measure Black girls and women. Repealing the GGR is an important of commiseration. Growth spurs optimism but also challenges, step in addressing the new U.S. administration’s commitment including disparities in wealth and opportunity — and those to women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and the inequities can turn into undercounts the next time around. global HIV response. However, further action must be taken to end the specter of the GGR for good and the damage done to – April 26, 2021 the health of women and girls affected by the policy.

– March 1, 2021

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