UK pledges £3m to abortion organisations

The UK is to give £3m to organisations that, under the ‘global gag’ rule, are denied US aid for providing safe abortions in developing countries. 

To receive US aid, health clinics must pledge neither to provide abortion services nor advise women to have one. Since US President George W Bush imposed this so-called ‘global gag’ rule in 2001, the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF) has had to close dozens of clinics. But with Britain’s £3m it will set up the Global Safe Abortion Programme to improve access to safe abortion services and ‘support other partners that have had to cut back on reproductive health services because of the impact of the gag rule’. IPPF director general Steven Sinding said: ‘The UK is being very brave and very progressive in making this commitment. We are deeply grateful for this gesture - not only financially, but also politically.’

UK pledges £3m for safe abortions BBC, 6 February 2006