Norway has joined an international initiative to raise millions of dollars to replace shortfalls left by US President Donald Trump's ban on US-funded groups worldwide providing information on abortion.
In January, the Netherlands started a global fund to help women access abortion services, saying Trump's "global gag rule" meant a funding gap of US$600 million over the next four years, and has pledged $13 million to the initiative to replace that.
![US President Donald Trump.](/web/20170308163259im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/h/3/p/d/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guhdct.png/1487899698385.jpg)
Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland, Canada and Cape Verde have all also lent their support.
"The government is increasing its support for family planning and safe abortion by 85 million Norwegian crowns (AU$13 million) compared with 2016," Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.
"At a time when this agenda has come under pressure, a joint effort is particularly important," he said in a statement.
Last month, Trump reinstated a policy requiring overseas organisations that receive US family-planning funds to certify they do not perform abortions or provide abortion advice as a method of family planning.
Reuters