The UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, announced a new funding initiative to address the reproductive healthcare crisis in Gaza, amounting to £4.25 million.
According to an official statement released by the British government’s website on Sunday, this British aid will ensure that the United Nations Reproductive Health Agency can provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.
This support is expected to reach approximately 111,500 women, roughly 1 in every 5 adult women in Gaza, and will assist up to 100 community midwives, in addition to distributing 45,000 clean birthing kits.
Cameron emphasized that this additional funding is in response to the United Nations’ urgent appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He stated, “Women bear the brunt of the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza today, where thousands of women are currently pregnant and anxious about safely giving birth to their children.”
He added, “This new British funding will help make childbirth safer and improve the lives of mothers and their newborns.” Cameron also mentioned, “We need to see an immediate cessation of hostilities to securely release hostages, deliver more aid, and allow organizations like the United Nations Population Fund to effectively do their vital work.”