This charity objects strongly to so-called Global Gag Rule, or the Mexico City Policy which prohibits US federal funding to be given to non-governmental that provide abortion counselling or referrals, advocate to decriminalize abortion, or expand abortion services.
This is the statement on their website:
“President Trump’s Global Gag Rule could withhold all US global health funding from any foreign organization that engages in abortion services, research or advocacy, even from non-US government sources. It forces these organizations to choose: abandon all abortion-related services, or lose all US government funding for critical global health programs including water, sanitation and hygiene. Approximately one-third of water, sanitation and hygiene funding is categorized as global health funding. That’s why the Global Gag Rule may have a direct and drastic impact on WASH services worldwide, including the ones we provide.”
WASH is an acronym for “water, sanitation and hygiene”.
https://www.wateraid.org/us/the-global-gag-rule
In 2017-2018 UK annual report and financial statements Wateraid UK states “Working with Plan International and Unicef, we researched and created guidance on how to reach people in the most remote areas of the world. Our guidance will help policy-makers to design, fund and build services that will work best in their context.” (Page 8.) Both Unicef and Plan International promote abortion provision.
Wateraid in Australia co-produced a report with Marie Stopes International titled: Integrating Menstrual Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Asia and the Pacific Region. The aim of the report was “to identify opportunities for collaboration on the issue of menstrual health and SRH {sexual and reproductive health}”.
Wateraid’s concern about the Mexico City policy is founded on their collaboration with organisations either promoting or providing abortion.