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UN Population Fund, Aid Agencies Affected By US Funding Cuts [VIDEO]

By Gerard Black | Update Date: Apr 06, 2017 07:25 AM EDT

The latest announcement of US funding cuts to the UN Population Fund represents the White House's commitment to bringing down its spending on the State Department which oversees diplomacy and foreign aid.

The UN Population Fund have released a statement and said it is saddened by the decision which they believe stems from wrong information. The US funding cuts on the agency are based on their information that the UN agency is supporting abortion in their programs. US laws do not allow spending on international aid agencies that perform or give information about abortions, Reuters reported.

The UN Population Fund is the arm of the United Nations that oversees women's and children's health, family planning and other humanitarian issues involving women and girls. They have reiterated that they do not support, fund, or perform abortions even in areas where it is legal. The money saved from the US funding cuts will instead go to the Global Health Programs and the US Agency for International Development, CNN reported.

The US government is now making its move to eventually whittle down its financial support to the United Nations. Money from the US accounts for over 20 percent of the UN's actual budget and they hope that other countries will move to cover the shortfall. The US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, believes it is time for other countries to step up and reduce their reliance on the United States.

The UN hopes that the US will reverse its decision because the slashed budget could help more people as the UN gives aid in places where the US doesn't go to. The UN cited that last year, the funds from the US were used in worldwide programs on domestic violence, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and ending child marriage and female genital mutilation.

The UN now believes that the slashes will harm the global community in the long run. With a large chunk of their source of funds missing, they will be forced to align their budget to more pressing humanitarian concerns and affect the delivery of services to other programs.

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