Everyone at Having Kids was happy to see Wajahat Ali’s TED Talk “The case for having kids.” The presentation breaks the taboo that surrounds talking about the need for better family planning policies and closes with a plea to invest in current and future generations. It is clear to us that Mr. Ali loves children and wants the best for them. We do, too, so we reached out to urge him to build upon his important work and consider the details of what it means to truly invest in children.

Read our letter to Mr. Ali about investing in future generations.

Urging people to simply “have babies” plays into the pyramid Ponzi scheme mentality of using future generations as tools for economic growth. Mr. Ali’s talk, however well intentioned, could do more harm than good. Only truly human rights-based family planning policies will set our children free from a system based on greed. Poor family planning is the norm, and it causes real harm every day. Children are born into starvation and horrific abuse, the gap between rich and poor is widening, and climate change is only beginning to wreak havok.

Our Fair Start family planning model is designed to invest in future generations. We can shift the world’s thinking from isolationist family planning focused on what parents want, toward an approach that helps everyone. We need a more comprehensive and cooperative focus that considers what children and the community need. The Fair Start model creates a system that maximizes child welfare, equity, and sustainability.

We are asking Mr. Ali to use his status as an influential public figure to keep breaking taboos around discussing family planning. We are also urging him to be clear that helping future generations doesn’t mean just “having babies.” It means planning a Fair Start.

Sincerely,

Erika and Willow, and Carter

The Phelps-Mathews Family

Join Erika and Willow by tweeting @WajahatAli and politely asking him to consider the Fair Start model.