Abandoned UN population policies to get cash boost

By Karen Carstens

Date: 29/04/04

THE EU is due to increase funding of United Nations' population policies that have been abandoned by the US government.

After stepping up EU efforts in this field last year, Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Poul Nielson has now pledged even more money to plug what has come to be known as the "decency gap" left by US President George W. Bush's controversial refusal to release funds already approved by Congress.

Nielson promised additional EU cash to address problems, including an alarming decline of contraceptive supplies in developing countries, during a meeting with Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), last Friday (23 April).

Saudi-born Obaid warned that "it is poor women and men who suffer as a result" of the Bush administration's refusal to free up the US funds.

"Whenever there is a Republican president we have problems," she said, adding that Bush was due to decide "in just a few weeks" on releasing US funds for the first time since they were frozen after he took office in 2001.

"Every year they [the US Congress] do vote for funding," she said. "And then Mr Bush does not release the funds."

The traditional annual US contribution to UNFPA is $34 million, which has been blocked by Bush amid concerns from conservative family rights activists who claim that UNFPA has promoted abortions in China.

"We endorse the one-child policy in China," said Obaid. "But what we have done in China is to demonstrate that abortion has actually gone down thanks to our programmes."

But Bush has refused to budge on the matter so far, despite independent investigations proving that UNFPA was not funding abortions, which it does not promote as a form of birth control.

The EU last year pledged €32 million to UNFPA. In addition, €73.95m has been allocated "in support of policies and actions on reproductive and sexual health and rights in developing countries", according to a Commission statement.

Meanwhile, women's rights and non-profit groups across the globe continue to lobby for the American funds to be released.

The European Union is to help to plug a funding gap for the United Nations' population policies in developing countries. US President George W. Bush has controversially refused to release funds already approved by Congress, leaving a shortfall in funding which has come to be known as the 'decency gap'.