IUDs and implants, stored in Belgium and intended for women living in Africa, should be cremated in France by the end of the month, denounce associations, NGOs and political leaders around the world.
Anger rises after the United States has announced the upcoming destruction of female contraception products – implants and IUDs – currently stored in Geel, Belgium. These supplies, worth $ 9.7 million (8.3 million euros), had to be distributed to women in need on the African continent. By decision of the American authorities, they are preparing to be destroyed “End July” In France. Faced with the rise of controversy, the French Ministry of Health argued Wednesday “Find a solution to avoid destruction” of these products.
The American State Department confirmed in mid-July that “Preliminary decision” had “Been taken to destroy certain abortive contraceptive products from USAID contracts”an American agency for economic development and humanitarian aid worldwide, spent under the chairmanship of Joe Biden. This destruction is part of the anti-abortion policy carried out by Donald Trump since his first mandate in 2017. Barely elected, he had signed a decree restoring the “Mexico City” which prohibits the financing of foreign NGOs practicing abortion or actively militant in its favor. It initially entered into force under the presidency of Ronald Reagan during an international conference in Mexico City in 1984.
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Upon his return to the White House in January, Donald Trump decided to dismantle USAID, created in 1961, despite the consequences on vulnerable populations. According to a recent study published in the journal The Lancetthe disappearance of this agency could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030. The “Ministry of government efficiency” (DOGE), formerly led by Elon Musk, deleted 83% of USAID programs and all of its staff have been returned. Foreign assistance programs must be integrated into the State Department. To these measures is added the recent Congress decision to lower US international aid by some $ 9 billion.
Thus, rather than distributing the latest assistance supplies for people in need, the American president prefers to destroy them, despite the expenses that this entails. This operation should cost US taxpayers for 167,000 dollars, according to the revelations of Guardian .
Buying of supplies by NGOs
These different decisions caused the indignation of the Democratic camp, through the senator of the New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen who denounced in a press release “Waste of American taxpayers’ money and an abdication of world leadership in the United States in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, risky abortions and maternal deaths”quote the Guardian. Senator and her colleague Brian Schatz, senator from Hawaii, presented a bill to end this destruction.
The two elected officials were followed by many associations and NGOs all over the world. In the United States first, with the president of the American branch Doctors without border, April Benoît, who pointed out a “Act deliberately irresponsible and prejudicial to women and girls around the world”. The manager also stressed that organizations have proposed to cover the costs of shipping and distribution of contraceptives, “But the US government has declined these offers”he deplored.
The American State Department defended itself by advancing “That he couldn’t sell them”in part because of Mexico City, details the Guardian. He had also highlighted the issue of expiration dates, but according to press information, contraceptives actually expressed between April 2027 and September 2031.
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Questioned by the British daily, the director of MSI Reproductive Choices, a global family planning organization present in nearly 40 countries, said that it had proposed “To buy, recondition and manage logistics” at its expense “Ensuring that products reach people in need” more “The government only accepted the high price, which MSI could not afford”. Same proposal made – without success – by the International Federation for Family Planning (IPPF) which had said it was ready to “Collect products in Brussels, transport them and recondition them in your warehouse in the Netherlands, then distribute them to women in need around the world, all without any cost for the American government”.
Petition signed by nearly 6000 people
Faced with strong criticism, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they had “Committed to diplomatic approaches to the United States Embassy in Brussels” and said they were in“Explore all possible avenues to avoid the destruction of these products, including temporary relocation solutions”. France, also involved in controversy since it is on its territory that contraceptives should be cremated, has followed the step of Belgium.
Left political leaders have asked Emmanuel Macron to intervene urgently to prevent destruction. In an open letter published on July 26, in particular signed by the Greens of the Greens Marine Tondelier, they qualify the American decision of“Affront to the fundamental principles of solidarity, public health and sexual and reproductive rights that France has committed to defend”. They urge the president to “Do not make yourself accomplice, even indirectly, of retrograde policies”.
Feminist associations and unions also launched a petition on Wednesday – published on the Change platform – already signed by nearly 6,000 people. The collective “Abortion in Europe – Women decide” at the origin of this initiative believes that the American decision “Refers to unwanted pregnancies, to unsecured abortions and their complication processions”. “We will not let this unfair and sexist decision to be applied, messy as well economic and human”,, also warns the collective which also brings together family planning, the unitary union federation (FSU), dare feminism or the League for Human Rights.
The French Ministry of Health assured Wednesday evening following “Pay attention to the situation” and supported “The will of the Belgian authorities to find a solution to avoid the destruction of contraceptives”adding that “Defense of rights and sexual and reproductive health is one of the priorities of France’s foreign policy”.
