The U.S. government is moving forward with plans to incinerate more than $10 million worth of contraceptives. Supplies that were paid for, packed, and ready to reach women and communities around the world.  
 
This is happening at the very moment when clinics in countries like Nigeria, Guinea, and Kenya, are rationing care or turning women away due to abrupt USAID funding cuts. HIV-prevention medications are being delayed. Contraceptive services are vanishing. Entire communities are losing access to the reproductive health services they rely on.  
 
These are the catastrophic effects of political decisions that prioritize ideology over human lives.  
 
The U.S. Department of State's decision to destroy these unused contraceptives, despite offers from the United Nations and other nonprofit partners to cover repackaging and delivery, is not only wasteful. It is harmful.  
 
According to the Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 218 million women in low- and middle-income countries have an unmet need for modern contraception. Redirecting contraceptive supplies to these areas could help reduce unintended pregnancies and improve maternal health outcomes. 
 
By halting the incineration of contraceptives and redistributing these resources to health systems in need, we can take a vital step towards safeguarding public health across the globe. 
 
We call on the U.S. Department of State to immediately: 

• Halt the incineration of unused contraceptive supplies. 
• Redirect contraceptive supplies to the clinics and communities facing critical shortages, particularly in countries most impacted by the end of U.S. foreign assistance. 
• Work in partnership with the UN, NGOs, and receiving countries to ensure safe, timely distribution. 

This is still a chance for the U.S. government to do what is right — to turn away from waste and destruction and toward dignity, justice, and care. 

Lives are on the line. Stand with us. Sign the petition. Share it widely. Demand better.

Let’s Do Something. Together. 

About EngenderHealth
EngenderHealth is a global sexual and reproductive health and rights organization working in partnership with local leaders, governments, and communities to ensure that everyone—especially women and girls—can access the care they need to live with dignity and autonomy. Learn more at engenderhealth.org.