Dutch fund for women’s sexual health tops $300 million

BRUSSELS – The Dutch government says a campaign to raise funds for access to birth control, abortion and women’s sexual health programs in developing nations has so far raised more than 260 million euros ($305 million).

The “She Decides” initiative was launched in January after President Donald Trump cut U.S. funding for such services.

Lilianne Ploumen, the Dutch minister for foreign trade and development co-operation, announced the latest total Friday, calling it “very good news for millions of women and girls in developing countries.”

A donor’s conference in Brussels in February raised just over 180 million euros, and Ploumen says the money has continued rolling in.

She says the pledges “show again that the international community will not abandon women in developing countries and will guarantee their basic right to family planning.”