LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th April, 2021) The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) has warned that the UK's decision to slash 85% of the annual funding to the UN family planning program would be "devastating," as it may lead to a quarter million maternal and child deaths.
"These cuts will be devastating for women and girls and their families across the world," the agency run by the UN Population Fund said in a statement released on Wednesday evening, claiming that the now-withdrawn 130 million Pounds ($180 million) would have prevent 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies and 4.3 million unsafe abortions.
While acknowledging the challenging situation many donor governments are facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the UNFPA said it deeply regrets the decision made by the UK, the agency's biggest contributor.
In November, 2020, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak first announced a temporary reduction in the UK aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of the country's income, citing the negative impact of the pandemic on the country's economy.
Asked about the cuts to the UN family planning program during a visit to a school in west London on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson argued that the public will understand that the government was forced to reduce its international aid to cope with the economic impact of the pandemic.
"We are still one of the biggest donors in the world and I think people in this country should be very proud of that. But I also think that they will understand, and I know that other countries around the world understand, the particular pressures of the pandemic that mean we have to economise in that way," Johnson was quoted as saying by UK media.
The decision, which has been widely criticized by Conservative and opposition lawmakers alike and human rights organizations and charities, will translate into a loss of more than 4 billion pounds ($5.5 billion) to UK development aid to poor countries around the world.
The UK government has not given details about which countries or aid programs would be affected by the cuts, but The Independent newspaper claimed last week to have seen a leaked document suggesting that Syria, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Nigeria and Lebanon are all poised to lose more than half of their funding.
