For over 60 years, the U.S has promoted family planning programs to protect its own interests in the developing world rather than to promote women’s empowerment

After the end of World War II, American fears of growing populations in the developing world led to efforts to control this population through the use of targeted foreign aid. Denise M. Horn looks at the history of U.S. efforts to protect American security and interests by encouraging population control. She argues that while the language of ‘population control’ has now shifted to that of ‘family planning’, US policy in this area in less developed countries is still geared towards population reduction rather than the empowerment of women.