USAID Urges U.N. To Omit Abortion References From Global COVID-19 Plan

The transcript discusses the US's request to the UN to exclude abortion from its COVID-19 response plan. John Barsa, acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development, urged the UN to focus on life-saving interventions rather than advancing access to abortion. The US administration criticized the UN for equating sexual and reproductive health with essential services like food and shelter. This is part of a broader historical disagreement between the Trump administration and the UN over reproductive rights language in UN documents.

What reasons did John Barsa give for opposing the inclusion of abortion as an essential service?

What previous actions had the Trump administration taken regarding reproductive rights at the UN?