The Netherlands on Tuesday called for an international fund to support health centers offering abortion services in developing countries, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a halt to U.S. government financing.

Trump on Monday signed a decree barring federal funding for foreign NGOs that support abortion, on the eve of the 44th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized the practice in the United States.

The restrictions prohibit foreign non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. family planning assistance from using non-U.S. funding to provide abortion services, information, counseling or referrals.

They are also barred from engaging in advocacy to promote abortion.

Lilianne Ploumen, the Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, said the Netherlands must do everything in its power to offset the ban, in order for "women can remain in control of their own bodies."

"We have to compensate this financial setback as much as possible with a well-financed fund, in which governments, businesses, and social organizations will be able to donate," Ploumen said in a statement released late Tuesday.  

She added that "banning abortion leads not to fewer abortions, but to more irresponsible practices in back rooms and higher rates of maternal mortality." 

Ploumen specifically mentioned Marie Stopes International, an organization that she said will be greatly affected by the loss of funding.

She said that over the next four years, the loss of funding to Marie Stopes will result in 6.5 million unwanted pregnancies, 2.2 million unsafe abortions, and 21,700 unnecessary deaths of mothers.

Dutch support of women's organizations, she said, has prevented 6 million unwanted pregnancies and half a million abortions.  

"The U.S. decision threatens to undermine these results," Ploumen, who said she was "very disappointed" by the decision, said. "We cannot let that happen."

Trump's move came just two days after women led a massive protest march in Washington -- with satellite rallies across the country and around the world -- to defend their rights, including to abortion.

Source :Naharnet