In a bid to cut all foreign aid, primarily long-acting, such as IUDs and birth control implants will be destroyed – contraceptives which were intended for women in the global south. As a result, women will die. 

Within the next 30 days, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Senegal, Kenya and Sierra Leone are expected to be on the brink of being out of stock of a minimum of one contraceptive method.

The destruction of these contraceptives is set to occur by the end of July. The department chose to destroy the contraceptives because it was unable to sell them to any “eligible buyers” — partly due to U.S. laws that prohibit providing aid to organizations overseas that offer abortion services, counseling, or advocacy, according to a State Department spokesperson.

But it’s not just contraceptives unnecessarily being destroyed – 500 million metric tons of emergency food have been destroyed rather than being sent abroad to feed over 1.5 million children. Trump has already destroyed $12 million dollars worth of HIV drugs.

A recent study in The Lancet warns that cuts to US foreign aid funding will directly result in over 14 million additional deaths by 2030 – two thirds of which being children.

The burning of vital contraceptives for women in the global south is nothing short of evil. These women are in dire need of contraception – in order to continue education, work, and have the basic rights that they deserve. 

In 2024, UNICEF revealed that over 79 million girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa are subjected to rape or sexual assault as children.

The Trump administration has shown time and time again that they want control over women’s bodies. Incinerating contraceptives while being openly anti-abortion, is despicable. Trump has also cut tens of millions of dollars from planned parenthood.