Former politicians call on new Cabinet to continue investing in sexual health

In a letter to the newspaper AD, a group of politicians calls on the new Cabinet to continue investing in sexual health, not only in the Netherlands but also abroad.

The letter was signed by politicians, political youth organizations, and former ministers from the VVD, PvdA, D66, and Groenlinks, including Pia Dijkstra, Martin van Rijn, Jozias van Aartsen, and Lilianne Ploumen. Mirjam de Blécourt, Jan Keunen, Corinne Ellemeet, and Lisa van Ginniken also signed the appeal.

In it, the politicians emphasize the importance of women's freedom to decide about their own bodies and having children, which the signatories believe is "life-defining." It determines whether women can finish school, which partner they choose, or whether they die giving birth to a child, the letter states.

It refers to improving access to education, contraception, prenatal care, and safe abortion. "This contributes to a healthy society in which young people can build a future," say the authors of the letter.

The Netherlands is a leader in this field and provides "indispensable" financial support for sexual health, according to the politicians. "In doing so, we have for years fulfilled an essential role as a reliable and stable partner for those working for the future of girls, women and young people worldwide."

Therefore, it is essential that this support continues. "Because it is precisely this care that is vulnerable and is often the first to fail when conflicts arise, pressure on care budgets increases, or politicians deliberately draw a line," the letter reads. "Sexual health and rights have come under pressure in the Netherlands and abroad due to disinformation and scaremongering. This leads to divisions and politicizes women's rights and bodies."

In their opinion, the Netherlands should not make the same mistakes in that area, as girls and women could become victims. For instance, the 2020 budget cuts "resulted in an estimated 185,000 more unsafe abortions worldwide and over 1,500 more mothers who died." Therefore, investing in sexual health is a matter of life and death in the end, the authors wrote in the letter.