Spotlight

Poverty November 2016

Poverty and Inequality Pervasive in Two-Fifths of U.S. Counties

Over the past two decades, inequality and poverty have both become more pervasive in U.S. counties. Typically, experts treat poverty and inequality as separate indicators of an area’s economic health. But by looking at the intersection of poverty and inequality in local areas—and how this has changed over time—we can produce a more complete picture of U.S. economic health. PRB’s analysis shows that counties are often doubly disadvantaged—experiencing high levels of inequality in combination with high poverty rates. Orleans Parish, Louisiana, home to the Port of New Orleans (pictured above), is an example of a high-inequality, high-poverty county.

Environment November 2016

Think Family Planning at COP22: Family Planning as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

The 22nd session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) is in Marrakesh, Morocco from Nov. 7 to Nov. 18, 2016. This year’s climate summit is expected to focus on figuring out how to implement the December 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to prevent the world’s temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius and help countries adapt to a changing climate.

Family Planning November 2016

Bridging High Impact Family Planning Communications and Advocacy

PRB is implementing a project in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goals of this project are to facilitate investment in effective policy and program interventions for youth family planning (FP) and to improve the use of data and evidence for FP advocacy.

More From PRB View more »

• Longevity Research: Unraveling the Determinants of Healthy Aging and Longer Life Spans

  Most people know about the importance of eating a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking to prevent disease and increase longevity. But researchers have identified many other factors—including genetics, social connections, early-life experiences, and even certain personality traits—that may affect life expectancy.

• Fostering Economic Growth, Equity, and Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Family Planning

  Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will be the world’s greatest demographic player this century—its population will quadruple from 960 million to about 4 billion and it will account for almost 100 percent of the world’s estimated 2 billion increase in workforce. This new report explores how family planning could and should play a much larger role in Africa’s future through strengthening global competitiveness, advancing equitable growth, and building resilience against natural and manmade stressors and shocks for families, communities, and nations across the region.

• Men as Contraceptive Users and Family Planning Clients

  Overall use of contraceptives has increased globally, but use of modern male methods (condoms and vasectomies) remains low. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) target of universal access to reproductive health by 2030 will be difficult without men’s participation.