- Marco Rubio informed Congress that the United States will cease global distribution of contraceptives, citing an executive directive from Donald Trump and stating foreign aid should serve national interests.
- This decision leaves nearly $10 million in taxpayer-funded contraceptive supplies, intended for low-income countries, in a Belgian warehouse, with some already destroyed and others nearing expiry.
- The move has drawn strong condemnation from humanitarian and reproductive health organizations, who warn of severe consequences including increased unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths.
- Organizations like MSI Reproductive Choices report that the US withdrawal has led to critical shortages and a collapse in distribution networks across sub-Saharan Africa, with 14 of 16 countries at risk of running out of contraception.
- Critics argue the refusal to release the existing stockpile, despite widespread need, is an ideological stance that undermines decades of US leadership in family planning and creates a significant funding gap that other donors cannot fill.
IN FULL
