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Obama lifts ban on abortion funds Obama lifts ban on abortion funds
(about 2 hours later)
President Barack Obama has lifted a US funding ban for groups providing abortion services abroad, reversing a policy of his predecessor, George Bush. US President Barack Obama has lifted a ban on providing federal funding to foreign family planning organisations that facilitate abortions.
The policy known as the "global gag rule" had stopped US government money going to groups which perform or provide information about abortion. The US is one of the biggest supporters of family planning programmes globally, but former president George W Bush blocked funds for abortion services.
Health groups had complained of being badly hit. The US is a key backer of family planning programmes globally. Powerful anti-abortion groups in the US have criticised the lifting of the ban.
Anti-abortionists have criticised the move to lift the ban. But aid agencies welcomed the move, saying it would promote women's health, especially in developing countries.
Mr Obama's move has implications for hundreds of aid agencies. A White House spokesman said Mr Obama signed the executive order without asking for coverage by the media late on Friday afternoon.
Observers say organisations working in the world's poorest nations - places where maternal mortality and infant death are high - have faced a tough choice: either sign the gag rule and be silenced on abortion, or refuse and lose millions of dollars in US aid. The issue of abortion services remains controversial in the US, pitting pro-life conservative groups against more liberal, pro-choice Americans who back a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.
The issue of abortion services remains controversial in the US. The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says this may be why President Obama signed the order with so little fanfare. The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says this may be why President Obama signed the order with so little fanfare.
Earlier on Friday, US regulators cleared the way for the world's first study on human embryonic stem cell therapy. Highly contentious
While the decision of the US Food and Drug Administration is independent of White House control, Mr Obama is widely expected to adopt a more pragmatic and science-oriented approach to stem cell research. Organisations that had pressed Mr Obama to make the abortion-ban change were jubilant.
Repeated reversals Today [President Obama] is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control Douglas JohnsonNational Right to Life Committee class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7848038.stm">Enormous implications
A spokesman for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) earlier told the BBC that under the Bush administration, the organisation had lost more than $100m (£73m) in funding, affecting its services across 176 countries. They called the funding ban the "gag rule" because it cuts funds to groups that advocate or lobby for the lifting of abortion restrictions.
You cannot reduce abortions by channelling more money to the abortion industry Ashley HorneFocus on the Family class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7848038.stm">Enormous implications The Planned Parenthood Federation of America hailed the president for "lifting the stranglehold on women's health across the globe with the stroke of a pen."
"It's had a massive impact on delivery of services of family planning across the globe, but in particular in Africa," said Paul Bell of the IPPF. "No longer will health care providers be forced to choose between receiving family planning funding and restricting the health care services they provide to women," the organization said in a statement.
"No money supplied by the US federal government can be used for abortion-related services. But this rule effectively gags foreign NGOs from talking about the issue if they accept US funding. It is not applied to US-based NGOs as it would be deemed unconstitutional." But anti-abortion groups were quick to criticise the reversal of the funding ban.
However, some conservative groups in the US say taxpayers' money should not be used to pay for abortion or its promotion. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYI am personally opposed to abortion. However, as a US citizen, I would rather see uncensored information available to allJim Nordblom, Mapleton, USA class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5958&edition=2&ttl=20090123210734">Send us your comments "President Obama not long ago told the American people that he would support policies to reduce abortions, but today he is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee.
The Christian group Focus on the Family said lifting the ban on taxpayer funding of overseas abortions was not only contrary to the values of the American people but would only increase the number of abortions being performed. A 1973 decision by the US Supreme Court legalised abortion.
"President Obama claims that he wants to reduce abortions," Focus on the Family's Ashley Horne told the BBC. A Gallup poll conducted last year showed that 54% of Americans think abortion should be allowed under certain circumstances, 28% believe it should be legal under any circumstances, while 17% back a total ban.
"However, you cannot reduce abortions by channelling more money to the abortion industry." See-saw issue
The policy has become a see-saw issue between Republican and Democratic administrations.The policy has become a see-saw issue between Republican and Democratic administrations.
HAVE YOUR SAYI am personally opposed to abortion. However, as a US citizen, I would rather see uncensored information available to allJim Nordblom, Mapleton, USASend us your comments
Former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, repealed the policy when he took office in 1993 and George W Bush reinstated it in 2001.Former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, repealed the policy when he took office in 1993 and George W Bush reinstated it in 2001.
The ruling is also known as the Mexico City Policy, because it was first introduced at a UN conference there in 1984 by former Republican President Ronald Reagan.The ruling is also known as the Mexico City Policy, because it was first introduced at a UN conference there in 1984 by former Republican President Ronald Reagan.
In a move related to the lifting of the abortion rule, Mr Obama is also expected to restore funding to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in the next budget, the AP news agency reported.
The Bush administration contended that the fund's work in China supported a Chinese family planning policy of coercive abortion and involuntary sterilisation, claims the UNFPA has vehemently denied.
In a separate move earlier on Friday, US regulators cleared the way for the world's first study on human embryonic stem cell therapy.
While the decision of the US Food and Drug Administration is independent of White House control, Mr Obama is widely expected to adopt a more pragmatic and science-oriented approach to stem cell research.