About Us

Founded: 1986
Located: Hampshire College, Amherst MA
Website
Staff

PopDev is a progressive think tank & activist organization bringing a global feminist analysis to the intersecting spheres of reproductive freedom, environmental justice, international development, and peace. We mentor new social justice leaders, collaborate on projects for movement building, and create groundbreaking publications and teaching tools for activists, academics, and policymakers.

PopDev challenges the mainstream idea that population growth in the Global South is a major cause of environmental degradation, political instability, climate change, and poverty. Population and environment organizations promoting these beliefs often also promote family planning as a solution. This is flawed thinking that blames the world’s poorest people, who are least responsible for carbon emissions, and attempts to legislate false solutions on the bodies of poor women of color.

PopDev supports access to high quality, safe and voluntary reproductive health and abortion services around the world. We bring a global perspective to the study and investigation of population and environmental issues. And recognizing that climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time, we work to build a new vision for climate action that connects the struggles for reproductive, environmental and climate justice.