REDLANDSDAILYFACTS.COM

UR students join campaign to support U.N. population fund

By CATHERINE GARCIA
Staff Writer

Around the globe today people are celebrating International Women’s
Day, but for Jane Roberts, a former University of Redlands French
professor and tennis coach, and former lawyer Lois Abraham, every
day is women’s day. Roberts and Abraham are the founders of 34
Million Friends of UNFPA, an organization dedicated to raising the
$34 million a year allocated by Congress that the Bush administration
is withholding from the United Nations Population Fund. “Our goal is
idealistic, but within the realm of possibility,” said Abraham. “UNFPA
has a vision, and so do we.”

The fund is the world’s largest international source of funding
for population and reproductive health programs. Since its founding
in 1969, the fund has provided nearly $6 billion in assistance to
developing countries.

The goal of 34 Million Friends of UNFPA isto urge 34 million
individuals to support the cause by donating one dollar each.At
the University of Redlands, students are being urged to bring their
dollars to a table set up in the commons this afternoon, or to the
Office of Community Service Learning until Friday.

“This is a positive protest against an unfair practice,” said Junior
Eileen Hards, a creative writing major from Redlands.

According to the 34 Million Friends of UNFPAWeb site, the United
States has withheld funding for United Nations Population Fund
since 2002 and remains the only country in the world to do so for
political reasons.The Bush administration’s decision came in response
to allegations that fund is compliant with coercive family planning
efforts in China.

The administration sent its own three-member investigative team to
China, where the expert panel determined that United Nations Population
Fund does not supportsuch activities. The team recommended the release
of the money.

Ming Beck, a University of Redlands studentwho left China 20 years ago,
settling in Hong Kong before comingto the United States, believes
thatmany Chinesepeople are suffering without the money from the
United States.

“They do need education, because they don’t alwaysknow what’s
outside of where they live,” she said of those who live in remote
villages. “The country people are the ones who would and should
benefit from this money.”

The United Nations Population Fund works in more than 140 nations
worldwide to improve reproductive health, support and protect the
health of young people, prevent HIV/AIDS, promote gender equality,
secure reproductive health care supplies and to assist in humanitarian
emergencies.

In 2004, contributions totaling $326 million were received from a
record 166 countries, including most of the European Union, Japan
and Canada. Contributions also were given by a number of non-wealthy
countries, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Somalia, and Timor-Leste.

After learning of the United States’ decision to cut funding to the
Timor-Leste, Roberts lay in bed thinking, “A letter to the editor or a
letter to my congressman won’t be enough. So I’ll get 34 million people
to donate a dollar.” The same idea was being hatched by Abraham in
New Mexico. After learning about each other, the women joined forces.

According to their Web site, the $34 million that has been withheld
for each of the past two years would have been able to prevent 4
million unplanned pregnancies, 1.6 million induced abortions, 9,400
maternal deaths and more than 154,000 infant and child deaths.

As of Feb. 25, more than $25 million had been given in U.S. gifts
and pledges. California leads the country in donations, with 15,120
residents having contributed.

“I’mproudto be from the most generous state,” Hards said. “Ihope we
continue to give lots of money. It’s such a worthwhile cause.”

For more information on 34 Million Friends of UNFPA or to make a
donation, visit