THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government announced Saturday it’s putting $10.7 million into an international fund it has launched to finance access to birth control, abortion and sex education for women in developing nations after President Trump cut U.S. funding for such services.

Lilianne Ploumen, the minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, said she was making the initial contribution and launched the fund – “She Decides – Global Fundraising Initiative” – with a website.

Ploumen said she has received thousands of reactions – the vast majority positive – since announcing the fund Tuesday. That move came a day after Trump reinstituted a ban on U.S. funding to international groups that perform abortions or even provide information about abortions.

The ban has been instituted by U.S. Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984.

Ploumen said an international sexual health and rights organization, the Rutgers Foundation, will manage the new fund.


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