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News Topical, Digital Desk : The Trump government of America has decided to destroy women's contraceptive material worth about 10 million dollars.
There has been an uproar in the country after this decision. Doctors and aid groups have called it an attack on women's rights and a wasteful step.
The material is stored in Belgium and is planned to be burned in France. Both European countries are under pressure to stop the destruction process.
The move is a particularly big blow to women in poor countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa.
On July 18, the British newspaper The Guardian quoted two US congressional sources as saying that the Trump administration is going to destroy $9.7 million worth of contraceptive materials, such as IUDs and birth control implants. This material is stored in a warehouse in the Belgian city of Geel and is planned to be burned by the end of July.
What is America's plan?
A US State Department spokesperson said that this material is related to the USAID deal ended by the Biden administration. Trump abolished USAID as soon as he took power in January. USAID was a big and important source for foreign aid.
The spokesperson said the destruction process would cost $167,000 and did not involve any HIV medication or condoms. But the decision has sparked criticism around the world.
The State Department also said the move was taken under the Mexico City Policy, which critics call the "global gag rule."
The policy prohibits aid to non-governmental organizations that promote or support abortion. The policy was instituted in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan and has been enforced by every Republican president since.
Why is this wastage happening?
The Trump administration has also made sharp cuts to foreign aid. The Senate recently approved an $8 billion cut, most of it to USAID.
Research suggests that these cuts could cost 14 million lives by 2030. In addition, earlier this month, the US burned 500 metric tons of high-nutritional biscuits meant for malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Foreign Department claimed that these contraceptive materials were close to their expiry date, but according to media reports, their expiry date is from April 2027 to September 2031.
Trump has also taken several steps to restrict abortion rights in the US, including taking credit for the Supreme Court's decision to end the national right to abortion in 2022.
what are the options?
The Belgian government has started discussions with the US embassy on this issue and is exploring every possible way to prevent the material from being destroyed. The Belgian foreign ministry is also considering the possibility of temporarily relocating it.
The international organisation MSI Reproductive Choices offered to purchase, package and deliver these materials to those in need, but was turned down.
Similarly, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) also offered to collect the material at no cost, but this too was declined.
These organizations wanted to provide this material to women in poor countries, but the US administration ignored their offer.
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