Now or Never: Save the U.S. Contraceptives in Belgium!

USAID-funded contraceptives intended for various African countries are still being unnecessarily and maliciously held up in Belgium, and many are at risk of expiring as soon as April 2028. If the United States does not release the supplies quickly, there will be no time left for distribution and use and to reach a takeover agreement with the Belgian government. This would also be advantageous for the U.S. government: a new report from the USAID Office of Inspector General shows that the U.S. government is paying US $24,000 per month of taxpayers’ money for the storage of these contraceptives. Sensoa, an International Planned Parenthood Federation Member Association, and its partners, Countdown 2030 Europe and IPPF, are calling on Belgium and the European Union to be a stronger partner for sexual and reproductive rights.

20 trucks lost, four trucks can still be saved

The supplies stored in Kallo, Belgium —enough to fill about 20 trucks— have long been unusable. However, the four remaining trucks from the total shipment of 24 containers in Geel, Belgium, still contain usable contraceptives. The U.S. government initially planned to incinerate the contraceptives, but that was thwarted by the regional government of Flanders, which has a ban on incinerating reusable medical devices. According to Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés), the expiration dates of the contraceptives range from April 2028 to September 2031. While those dates may seem distant, every delay reduces the time available to get these supplies to the people who need them. On top of this, many destination countries, including Tanzania, apply importation rules that limit entry to medicines with a specific percentage of remaining shelf life.

1.4 million women affected

77 percent of the supplies were intended for five African countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mali. Some of these countries are already grappling with severe humanitarian crises and shortages of contraceptives. Figures from the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition speak volumes: the deliberate loss of these resources will lead to at least 362,000 unwanted pregnancies, 161,000 unplanned births, and 110,000 unsafe abortions. An estimated 1.4 million women in Africa will be unable to use contraception even though they wish to.

Without access to contraceptives, there will undoubtedly be an increase in unintended pregnancies, teen pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths for women in Africa. They are some of many victims of U.S. President Donald Trump’s war against women’s reproductive rights and justice. 

According to the Guttmacher Institute, the U.S. organization that conducts research on sexual and reproductive rights, the $434,317 wasted on storage and inventory represents contraceptives for 43,900 women and couples.

Europe and Belgium: Take a Stand Against Trump

The U.S. government is spreading misinformation about the use of contraceptives and has only ideological reasons for withholding these supplies. Women in the Global Majority and American taxpayers are paying the price. The U.S. is no longer an ally when it comes to sexual and reproductive rights. It is imposing its ultra-conservative policies on the rest of the world. These are policies that deny women control over their own bodies. It is time for Belgium—and the EU as well—to be a stronger partner than ever for sexual and reproductive health and rights. European institutions remain deafeningly silent on this issue. Now is the time for Europe to turn its words into action. Now is the time for Europe to show that the health, dignity and safety of people everywhere – including the Global Majority – is a priority. This applies to every international negotiation and requires funding from both the European and national budgets. Make that happen.

Notes:

The contraceptives being held are mostly long-lasting types, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs), rod implants, contraceptive injections, and levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets.