U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would ban funding for international groups that provide abortions on Monday, causing a lot of discomfort and preoccupation worldwide.
Several public health advocates across the globe warned that a change in funding would have grave consequences, taking into account the founding the United States give these clinics worldwide is used to support family planning, contraceptives and help with maternity, as well as with safe abortions which hold a great importance due to unsafe abortions being a major cause of maternal mortality.
Nancy Pelosi, the Dem. minority leader in the Senate, said in an official statement “Now, foreign non-governmental organizations will be forced to give women incomplete medical information, advice and care in order to participate in U.S.-supported programs abroad. When last in place, the global gag rule had the effect of decreasing access to family planning services around the world. Study after study shows that when women have increased access to family planning services and supplies, such as contraceptives, the incidence of abortion decreases.”
Due to this situation, The Netherlands has asked up to 20 countries for support to try and counter President Trump’s reinstitution of the “Global Gag Rule”. United, they plan to create an international safe abortion fund with the mission to alleviate the impact losing the support of the United States is to hundreds of organizations worldwide. In an interview with The Guardian, the Dutch international development minister, Lillianne Ploumen talked about the issue.
“We’re in talks with 15 to 20 countries and we’ve also spoken to foundations, as well as contacting a number of European countries that we work with on these issues, we’re also in touch with countries in South America and Africa, as well as the foundations. It’s important to have the broadest possible support for the fund,” said Ploumen.
It’s still unknown which countries are contributing to the plan, or how much money will be committed to the fund, but Ploumen said that she aims to continue the support for existing programs being run by organizations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International.
“These are successful and effective programs: direct support, distributing condoms, making sure women are accompanied at the birth, and making sure abortion is safe if they have no other choice,” she told the Guardian, and claimed it wouldn’t be easy since six hundred million dollars is an ambitious target, but said she is committed to it.
Her plan is to arrange the funding in the next two to three weeks, “We need a bit of time for everyone to get organized, but I don’t want it to take six months. The funding is being stopped immediately, so the sooner the organizations have the security of knowing that their programs can continue, the better.”
