Contraceptives are "one of the greatest anti-poverty innovations": Melinda Gates

Emma Batha

LONDON, 12 July. - (ANA) - Contraceptives are "one of the greatest anti-poverty innovations the world has ever known", philanthropist Melinda Gates said on Tuesday, calling for family planning to be made a global priority.

Access to birth control boosts economic productivity by freeing up women to work, and leads to smaller families with parents able to devote more resources to their children's health and education, Gates told an international summit in London on family planning.

Financial commitments announced at the conference were expected to total at least $2.5 billion - of which $1.5 billion has been pledged by countries in Africa and Asia.

"Contraceptives empower women. And we know what empowered women do ... they transform societies," Gates said.

She announced the foundation would provide an additional $375 million for family planning over the next four years.

The summit comes at a critical time, with U.S. President Donald Trump having said he will end funding to the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), the U.N. agency which deals with family planning, sexual and reproductive health.

The Trump administration has also reinstated a policy blocking U.S. funding to overseas groups that perform or provide information about abortion.

Gates said she was "deeply troubled" by the proposed cuts. - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/ 12 July 2017 - - -