Abortion Under Trump: Norway Pledges Millions To Counteract Trump’s Global Anti-Abortion Move

Norway has joined the Dutch international abortion fund, an initiative that will raise millions of dollars to replace funding shortfalls from President Donald Trump's ban on American-funded global NGOs that offer information related to abortion and thus help women access abortion services.

Trump's ban did not just include organizations that offered the abortion services to women, but also said it will not fund organizations that offered information or helped educating a person on how to terminate a pregnancy.

Norway has pledged $10 million to the initiative, which aims to fulfill a $600 million funding gap over four years, Reuters reported. Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada and Cape Verde also backed the scheme.

"The government is increasing its support for family planning and safe abortion by 85 million Norwegian crowns ($10 million) compared with 2016," Prime Minister Erna Solberg reportedly said.

"At a time when this agenda has come under pressure, a joint effort is particularly important," she added.

In response to Trump's ban, the Netherlands in January announced it would establish an international fund to finance projects relating to access for birth control, abortion and women's education throughout developing countries and had also pledged $10 million to the initiative.

"This has far-reaching consequences. First of all, for all those women who have to make, if they want to have a child, a choice, but also for their husbands and children and society as a whole. Banning abortion does not lead to fewer abortions. It leads to more irresponsible practices in back rooms and more maternal deaths," Netherlands' Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen had said.

Last month, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence attended the anti-abortion March For Life in Washington, D.C.

Pence told the people there: "This administration will work with Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers."

"Life is winning again in America," he added.