This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
At a conference in Nairobi, a senior US policy adviser emphasized that the US will only support family planning programs that provide alternatives to abortions. This statement has emboldened anti-choice groups in the city, who have been vocal in their opposition to the summit.
Valerie Huber, the US special representative for global women's health, made the statement in a document that has been widely shared. In it, she noted that the US seeks to combat gender-based violence by investing in programs that respect the rights of women and girls, while also upholding the 'inherent value of every human life – born and unborn.'
Huber's statement was not an endorsement of the summit, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The conference 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] ICPD+25 Nairobi summit.'
A 'pro-life and pro-family march' was planned for Thursday, but was postponed by police for security reasons.
Organizers of the march, the Kenya Christian Professional Forum, had been denied access to the summit. Ann Kioko, campaigns director for CitizenGo in Africa, said, 'They [organisers] never allowed us, the pro-life and pro-family people, inside the ICPD25 summit. We were going to protest from the summit.'
Huber's statement also emphasized the US commitment to preventing child marriage, female genital mutilation, and people trafficking. She noted that while the US remains committed to continued funding for family planning, programs should offer women alternatives to abortion.
Huber said, '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. The US is the largest bilateral funder for family planning. That hasn’t changed.'
Her comments came as more than 200 organizations from over 50 countries published a call to action to demand urgent advances in sexual and reproductive rights around the world.
