As UN agency laments aid fund cuts, UK PM Boris Johnson pleads people to 'understand'

As the UN urged countries to not pull back funding amid the coronavirus pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has slashed funding for the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

Johnson has decided to impose a huge cut to the funding made to the UN agency that helps women fight against violence and sexual and reproductive problems.

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The UK will be implementing a nearly 85 per cent cut to UNFPA’s flagship programme for family planning. The funding will be slashed from £154 million to £23 million this year.

These cuts have brought a ‘devastating’ effect in the working of the agency’s programmes, the agency authorities said.

"These cuts will be devastating for women and girls and their families across the world," UNFPA said in a statement. "With the now-withdrawn £130 million, the UNFPA Supplies Partnership would have helped prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies, and 4.3 million unsafe abortions."

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Boris Johnson, however, has asked people and agencies to ‘understand’ the situation and has blamed the pandemic for fund cuts.

"We are still one of the biggest donors in the world and I think people in this country should be very proud of that," Johnson said. "But I also think that they will understand, and I know that other countries around the world understand, the particular pressures of the pandemic that means we have to economise in that way."

Responding to Johnson'statement, UNFPA said that while it understands "the challenging situation facing many donor governments", the agency is also "deeply regrets the decision of our longstanding partner".

"The truth is that when funding stops, women and girls suffer, especially the poor, those living in remote, underserved communities and those living through humanitarian crises," UNFPA said.

(With inputs from agencies)