Gains made in Nepal on lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion stand to be undone by a drastic drop in interest from international donors, experts have warned — and a Donald Trump return to the White House could make things worse.
Nepal’s remote and mountainous topography remains a barrier to accessing health care, but huge strides have been made in recent years toward lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion. After legalizing abortion in 2002, the maternal mortality ratio dropped from 539 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 151 in 2021, and the severity of complications from unsafe abortions significantly reduced during that period.
Programs to improve awareness and access to safe abortion initially relied heavily on foreign donors — particularly the United States. But dwindling foreign aid budgets, as well as the impact of a U.S. Agency for International Development funding freeze known as the global gag rule, or GGR, on nonprofits that promote or perform abortion services, have resulted in the shutdown of family planning services and clinics across Nepal, those working in the country said. Despite a lifting of the rule after President Joe Biden came to power, uncertainty over future policies means funding streams have not resumed.
About the author
Catherine Davison
Catherine Davison is an independent journalist based in Delhi, India, writing on issues at the intersection of health, gender, and the environment.
