‘Devastating for women and girls’: UK cuts 85% in aid to UN family planning

UNFPA says 130m being withheld would have helped prevent 250,000 child and maternal deaths in poorest countries

The British government is slashing its funding to the UN population fund (UNFPA) in a move described as devastating" for women and girls.

The agency confirmed on Wednesday that the UK, its largest donor, is cutting funding for contraceptives and reproductive health supplies by 85% this year - from 154m to 23m - and cutting core funding from 20m to 8m.