$207 million pledged to UN population agency facing US cuts

UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. Population Fund, which has seen all funding cut by the Trump administration, says donors have committed $207 million to help expand family planning services and strengthen national health programs. But the agency says it still needs $700 million for family planning supplies for 2017-2020.

International donors made the pledges this week at a Family Planning Summit in London.

Population Fund acting executive director Natalia Kanem says in a statement that family planning is "one of the smartest investments" for countries because it allows women to choose whether and when to have children.

The agency said Friday it was allocated about $69 million for 2016 from the United States, including about $31 million for its overall budget and the remainder earmarked for specific programs.