UNITED NATIONS, New York - The U.S. administration’s decision not to release $34 million appropriated by Congress for UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is regrettable, UNFPA said today. The money is urgently needed to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS, prevent maternal deaths, provide family planning and reduce recourse to abortion.

The administration’s stated reason for continuing to withhold funding for a third year, an assertion that UNFPA supports coerced abortions in China, is baseless, the Fund added.

“The United States’ contribution could have saved thousands of lives,” said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA’s Executive Director,

With over 1 billion adolescents entering their reproductive years and demand for reproductive health services increasing all over the world, each dollar makes a difference. UNFPA estimates that the withheld $34 million could have helped prevent as many as 2 million unwanted pregnancies and nearly 800,000 abortions; 4,700 maternal deaths and over 77,000 infant and child deaths in many countries. The funds could also have been used to scale up promising maternal health and HIV-prevention efforts.

“Historically, the United States has been a world leader in promoting reproductive health and family planning and we hope it will take up that role again,” said Ms. Obaid. “Promoting global health and alleviating poverty are urgent tasks that require strong partnerships and international cooperation.”

UNFPA works in nearly 140 countries to increase access to reproductive health services, including family planning, to promote safe motherhood, and to prevent unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, including among adolescents.

In withholding the funds, the U.S. administration seems to have accepted false and discredited allegations about UNFPA’s work in China.

"UNFPA has not, does not and will not ever condone or support coercive activities of any kind, anywhere," Ms. Obaid said.

An assessment team sent to China in 2002 by the U.S. State Department found no evidence that the Fund supported or participated in the management of a programme of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization—on the contrary, it reported that UNFPA had registered its strong opposition to such practices. That team recommended that funds allocated by Congress be released to UNFPA. Three other independent teams, from the United Nations, the British Parliament and a multi-faith panel of religious leaders, reached the same conclusion.

The United States is the only country to deny funding to UNFPA for non-budgetary reasons.

***

UNFPA is the world’s largest multilateral source of population assistance. Since it became operational in 1969, it has provided help to developing countries, at their request, to meet reproductive health needs and support development efforts.

Contact Information:

Omar Gharzeddine
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-5028
Email: gharzeddine@unfpa.org

Sarah Craven
Tel.: +1 (202) 326-8713
Cell Phone: +1 (202) 255-7262
Email: craven@unfpa.org