Pro-life advocates are pushing the Turnbull government to copy Donald Trump's ban on foreign aid money being spent on abortion.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Australian Christian Lobby wants the Coalition to reinstate a similar ban, which was brought in by John Howard and later abolished by Kevin Rudd.
Wendy Francis, the lobby's spokesperson on women's issues, said it was a form of "colonialism" for Australia, through its foreign aid program, to impose a practice on women living in developing countries that were culturally opposed to abortion.
"In many countries, abortion is not seen as something women want," Ms Francis told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.
Women in developing countries needed access to clean birthing centres and clean water rather than abortion services, Ms Francis said.
The Turnbull government announced in February it would commit $9.5 million in funding to respond to sexual health needs during humanitarian disasters in the region.
This follows the Rudd government's decision to overturn a Howard-era directive that foreign aid funding should not be given to organisations providing advice to women about abortions or which performed them.
The Australian Christian Lobby says it will focus on the issue in the lead-up to the next federal election, due in 2019.
"I think we need to have good education on safe sex right throughout the world. I don't have any problem with contraception," Ms Francis said.
"I don't think our aid money should be used for abortions," Ms Francis said.
She said MPs were ignorant of the recent funding decision and didn't "realise $9.5 million was going to a global abortion advocacy group".
"This kind of thing comes up at elections. We will target all MPs because we want all MPs to be aware," Ms Francis said.
Pro-choice MPs told Fairfax Media they were not aware of any immediate plans by other parliamentarians to try to advocate for a Trump-style aid ban but they remained "vigilant" about any attempt to curtail women's access to reproductive health services.
It prevents health organisations working in developing countries that provide advice on abortion and contraception, or perform abortions, from accessing American aid funding.
Australia is not a contributor to the fund.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop recently appointed former Liberal MP Sharman Stone as Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls.
Dr Stone told an international conference earlier this month that Australia was a "strong champion" of sexual health services.
"Empowering women and girls is a central objective of our foreign policy focus," Dr Stone said.
"Access to sexual health and reproductive services, particularly family planning remains critical to women's empowerment."
