The President of the United States of America

Mr George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

USA

 

Friday January 18, 2002

 

 

Dear Mr President

 

We should like to congratulate you for your continued efforts towards global security and stability, whilst also displaying your unequivocal commitment towards the social and humanitarian needs which are inextricably connected.

 

It was therefore very surprising to learn that you may decide to withhold the $34 million earmarked for UNFPA, the foremost UN agency involved in increasing access to family planning and maternal health care throughout the world.

 

UNFPA has helped many countries implement national population policies and programmes and supported the movement to improve the status of women, an action advocated also by your Administration. The $34 million which Congress allocated for UNFPA’s foreign aid work would prevent two million unwanted pregnancies, 4,700 maternal deaths, 60,000 cases of serious maternal illness, 800,000 induced abortions and more than 77,000 infant and child deaths.

 

A specific part of UNFPA’S work is the fight against HIV/Aids. A lack of US financial support is tantamount to jeopardising UNFPA’s international Aids prevention programme. The continuation of its efforts is paramount in securing a safe future for today’s young people. Today, around 12 million young people are living with HIV/Aids. The fact that so many young people continue to suffer from this deadly disease portrays a bleak future for future generations ­– its enormous economic and social impact will lead to the opposite of what you wish to achieve - namely stability and humanity.

 

EuroNGOs, the group of European NGOs for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population and Development  work together with many institutions throughout the world, and especially in the USA. If we are to continue our international co-operations, also through trans-atlantic

 

collaboration, it is imperative that we pool all resources and skills together in implementing our policies and programmes. Financial support from the US is vital in achieving this.

 

It is for these reasons therefore, that we ask you to release the $34 million to UNFPA and to continue your efforts to make the world more human and secure.

 

Yours sincerely

Dr Joerg F. Maas

 

on behalf of EuroNGOs

 

"The European NGOs for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population and Development (called "EuroNGOs") seek to translate the commitments of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD, Cairo 1994) into international cooperative programmes in the field of sexual and reproductive health in developing countries."