A further AUD15 million (USD9.6 million) will be disbursed by the Australian government to bolster child and maternal health in developing nations, following the withdrawal of a prohibition on the use of aid funding for abortion advice. "Avoiding terminations through family planning services and advice will continue to be the focus of Australian funded activities. Australian and international NGOs will continue to be able to choose what services they deliver in line with their own philosophies and policies," Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said. According to
, the four-year funding will be channeled through United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations to back family planning and reproductive health activities aimed at decreasing maternal deaths.
