This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
Published on November 14, 2019, a senior US policy adviser, Valerie Huber, has sparked outrage at a Nairobi summit on population and development by stating that the US will not support abortion, even in cases of rape.
Huber, the US special representative for global women's health, made the statement in a speech at the three-day summit, which marks the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).
The summit has attracted opposition from anti-choice groups, who have held their own events in the city. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to reject the 'pro-abortion and sexualisation agenda' at the summit.
Huber's statement has been met with criticism from pro-choice groups, who argue that it undermines the rights of women and girls. In her speech, Huber said that the US remains committed to preventing child marriage, female genital mutilation, and people trafficking, but that it will not support abortion.
She added that while the US is committed to continued funding for family planning, programmes should offer women alternatives to abortion. 'The US is committed to promoting a healthy understanding of child spacing and non-coercive family planning to help couples either achieve or prevent pregnancy,' she said.
However, pro-choice groups argue that this stance is unacceptable, particularly in cases of rape. 'The US is not a champion of women's rights,' said Ann Kioko, campaigns director for CitizenGo in Africa. 'We don't agree with the agenda of ICPD25. We have made it very clear that its agenda is not what we stand for.'
Meanwhile, more than 200 organisations from over 50 countries have published a call to action demanding urgent advances in sexual and reproductive rights around the world. The list of demands includes full access to information, means, and support for any woman who wants an abortion, guaranteed universal health coverage, bodily autonomy, and a recognition that access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health and rights 'is the bedrock of gender equality.'
