UNFPA pledges continued support to Malawi
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Dan Odallo has said his organisation will continue supporting its programmes in the country despite United States (US) president Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw funding from the organisation.
The Trump administration last week announced the measures on the basis that UNFPA supports “coercive abortion” in China, according to a letter sent to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Odallo said his organisation is looking forward to continue working with the US government on other pertinent issues to address global concerns and restore UNFPA’s strong partnership to save lives of women and girls in Malawi and other countries.
While sounding optimistic that some other donors will come in to help the organisation, Odallo expressed concern over the withdrawal, saying it could also affect some of their programmes globally.
He reiterated that UNFPA does not fund or perform abortions or forced sterilisations as the US government is claiming.
“The support we have received since 1969 from the United States government and people from United States has provided family planning and saved tens of thousands of mothers from preventable deaths and disabilities globally as well as in Malawi,” Odallo said.
In 2016, UNFPA, with about $69 million from the US government, was able to save the lives of 2 340 women from dying during pregnancy and childbirth, prevent 947 000 unintended pregnancies, prevent 295 000 unsafe abortions, and help three million couples prevent unwanted pregnancy.
In Malawi, UNFPA has helped 2 695 teen mothers to return to school. It has also helped in combating gender-based violence and reduced maternal deaths, among many other interventions.
