The Government has reportedly cut funding for global family planning from £154m to £23m. A UN source estimates the lost £130m would have helped prevent about 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies and 4.3 million unsafe abortions. These cuts should be reversed.
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Family planning clearly improves the rights and outcomes for women and girls' around the world. The absolute sum of the £130m represents a very small percentage of government expenditure and works out at £520 to save a life based on the UN estimate that the money could help save 250,000 deaths. That modest sum for a life does not even include all the other deaths and reduced life chances that will result from the unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.