A recent article reports that dramatic reductions in international aid—in particular from the UK’s WISH program, whose funding dropped from approximately £30 million to £6.7 million annually—are severely limiting access to contraception and reproductive‐health services in coastal Senegal. As these services have been critical for women in managing pregnancies, protecting their health, and engaging in economic activitie, like small-business ownership, these cuts threaten both health and livelihoods. Clinics in towns rely on outreach programs by organizations such as MSI Reproductive Choices, but power outages, supply shortages and increasing maternal health risks reflect the deterioration of services. Community leaders emphasize that birth control is not a luxury but a necessity for women’s autonomy and well-being.
Compiled From: Kat Lay, “‘Not a luxury, a necessity’: how aid cuts to birth control harm Senegal’s women”, The Guardian, Oct. 27, 2025.