Gates Foundation Pledges $1 Billion For Birth Control In Developing World

"Family planning nearly vanished from the global agenda over the past several decades, partly as a result of past abuses, such as forced sterilizations, and partly because of opposition from religious conservatives.

"Gates said she and her husband, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, made a careful study of the issues and were swayed by the strong evidence that giving women the power to limit family size not only improves health but also increases children's school attendance, leads to more prosperous families and can raise countries' GDPs. 

"'That's why ... we had absolutely no hesitation in making this decision,' said Melinda Gates, who has described the new initiative as her 'life's work.'"

Gates Foundation's pledge for contraceptives in developing countries: $1 billion (Seattle Times)