D-Tree International, which was launched in 2004, partnered with Pathfinder International to create a mobile phone application that increases the use and distribution of artificial contraception. In addition to this, D-Tree’s president and founder, Marc Miller, is a strident advocate for the wide-spread use of contraception among the poor in the developing world.
In 2010, D-Tree International entered into a formal partnership with Pathfinder International in order to create an electronic family planning application (eFP) in Tanzania. According to this brief overview of the program, created by African Strategies for Health:
Community-based Family Planning is a fundamental approach to increase access to Family Planning services. In order to strengthen community-based family planning services, D-tree, in collaboration with FHI 360 and Pathfinder International,developed and is implementing an open-source mobile phone-based family planning application. The electronic family planning (e-FP) application is expected to improve counseling on FP, and hence increase access to and the uptake of family planning methods.
The image on the right from the brief overview is an example of what the application looks like and what it recommends. As can be seen in the image, all forms of artificial contraception are indicated, including abortifacients and even surgical sterilization.
According to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, funders for this project, 95% of the clients reached through the 6,092 clients reached by this program maintained their use of some form of contraception.
In September of 2015, D-Tree International produced a promotional video on this mobile app program. In the video is a recording of the app in use, and once again, it displays the full range of contraception, including abortifacients and surgical sterilizations.
This push by D-Tree International to increase the use of contraception in the developing world really should come as no surprise, however, considering the fact that its founder and president, Dr. Marc Mitchell, is himself a major promoter of contraception. In a recent 15 page paper by Mitchell titled, “Financing Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programs,” Mitchell argues that “The economic, social and demographic benefits of an effective reproductive health program are far greater than the costs.” With regard to demographic benefits of wide-spread family planning programs, Mitchell argues that overpopulation is a very serious problem and recommends population control measures, suggesting that the “most important way to reduce unsustainable population growth is through meeting the existing demand for contraception.”
In a background paper to the report “Public Choices, Private Decisions: Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Millennium Development Goals,” Mitchell and his co-authors not only strongly advocate for contraception, but also abortion. The paper bears the image of a woman late in her pregnancy looking on to a graduation ceremony, with the words, “Had I known, I would have waited to finish my education” printed above and below the image.
Page 20 very clearly states that women “need” access to abortion:
Women at high risk of HIV (e.g., sex workers) also have RH needs including contraception, safe abortion, condoms.
On page 27, Mitchell and his co-authors complain bitterly about the Mexico City Policy (calling it the “Global Gag-Rule”), which denies funding to organizations that perform, fund, or promote abortion in its aid and development work. They said:
Local family planning and human rights organizations successfully lobbied the government to legalize abortion, but thus lost their US funding and now cannot afford to provide safe and legal abortion care to the poorest women most at risk of death from unsafe abortion.
Conclusion
D-Tree International was founded and is run by an individual whose intention is to expand access to all forms of contraception and surgical sterilization to poor people in the developing world. His philosophy toward God’s command to “Be fruitful and multiply” is one of contempt as he even suggests that abortion be available to the world’s poor. The organization itself is following the philosophy of its founder and is spreading the use of technology to ensnare women in the sinful practice of contraception.
Because of D-Tree’s unwavering promoting of these grave moral evils, no Christian could ever, in good conscience, support, provide funds or a clean image for this organization.
