Linking Population, Health, and the Environment: An Overview of Integrated Programs and a Case Study in Nepal

Abstract

Population, health, and environment programs are cross-sectoral development initiatives that link conservation, health, and family planning interventions. These programs are generally located in biodiversity hotspots, where population pressure is among the factors contributing to environmental degradation. This review describes the general structure of population, health, and environment programs and provides selected examples to highlight various aspects of this approach. We focus in depth on a case study from the Integrating Population and Health into Forestry Management Agendas program in Nepal that simultaneously addressed deforestation from fuel-wood harvesting, indoor air pollution from wood fires, acute respiratory infections related to smoke inhalation, as well as family planning in communities in Nepal's densely populated forest corridors. Keys to the success of the Nepal project included empowerment of community forest user groups with population, health, and environment program know-how and appropriate technology. Lessons learned in Nepal point to the critical role that nongovernmental organizations can play as catalysts of cross-sectoral responses to complex development issues such as this one. The population, health, and environment approach can be an effective method for achieving sustainable development and meeting both conservation and health objectives.

Integrating Community‐Based Family Planning Services with Local Marine Conservation Initiatives in Southwest Madagascar: Changes in Contraceptive Use and Fertility

“…The results of this study are in line with other research which suggests that integrating the provision of family planning services with environmental conservation initiatives can be effective in reaching under‐served populations living in remote areas of high biodiversity, where health agencies typically find it difficult to operate as a result of infrastructural obstacles .…”

“…Some 222 million women in developing countries report an unmet need for contraception . Programs integrating family planning services with environmental conservation in remote areas of high biodiversity can be a highly effective mechanism for reaching under‐served communities . Many studies contend that expanding access to family planning services can also bolster local community‐based natural resource management in areas where actual fertility is higher than desired fertility by enabling couples to avoid unintended pregnancies and achieve their desired family size .…”

The impact of population, health, and environment projects: A synthesis of evidence

“…Furthermore, only 5 percent of cases needed referral for further treatment compared to 55 percent two years prior. The declining trend in ARI was inversely proportional to the uptake in clean energy use, which increased from 22 percent to 40.5 percent of households in 2.5 years (Hahn, Anandaraja, and D'Agnes 2011), making this an excellent example of a linked environmental and health outcome.…”

Family Planning and the Samburu: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Thoughts of Men on a Population Health and Environment Programme in Rural Kenya

“…Harris et al, estimated that such provision prevented 88 unsafe abortions in the community between 2007 and 2010, with couple-years of protection (CYP) rising from 39.5 to 464 over the same period [9]. Furthermore, among WWF-sponsored PHE projects in Asia and Africa, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) increased considerably in Kenya’s Kiunga district, Madagascar’s Spiny Forest, Nepal’s Khata region, and in Roxas district, Philippines [5,13]. Results also indicated long-term effects of PHE FP programmes on fertility and reproductive health, showing a decline in birth rates.…”