Madam, - Mrs Mary Stewart (October 14th) repeats long discredited claims against the UNFPA. Several independent teams have studied UNFPA assistance in China and found no evidence that the fund supported coercive abortion. A hand-picked assessment team sent there by the US administration reported that the UNFPA had registered strong opposition to such practices.
Three other independent teams from the British Parliament, the United Nations and a multi-faith panel of religious leaders reached the same conclusion.
The UNFPA does not support abortion in China or anywhere in the world. Indeed, abortion rates have decreased in Chinese regions where the UNFPA provides assistance. The UNFPA promotes voluntary family planning, which helps eliminate recourse to abortion. - Yours, etc.,
SAFIYE CAGAR,
Director, Information,
UNFPA,
New York,
USA.