Posted on 01/23/2009 4:32:09 PM PST by Sub-Driver
NOW Cheers Repeal of Global Gag Rule As First Step toward Worldwide Reproductive Justice
January 23, 2009
"President Obama took the side of justice today," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "For eight years the Global Gag Rule has forced international family planning organizations to make an impossible choice between providing comprehensive reproductive health care, and receiving funds that enable them to help women in need. Women around the world have died as a result of this heartless policy."
President Ronald Reagan first instituted the rule, officially known as the Mexico City Policy, in 1984. The policy requires that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in other countries agree to strict limitations--including limits on how they can spend their own locally raised funds--before they can receive desperately needed U.S. family planning funds. These restrictive terms, which even limit the organizations' free speech rights, inspired the policy's more commonly-known name, the Global Gag Rule. Under the rule, NGOs are barred from performing or referring for abortion, even with their own home country's funds, and are prohibited from even discussing abortion with patients or with policymakers. President Bill Clinton reversed the policy at the beginning of his first term, a victory that lasted eight years until President George W. Bush reinstated the order in 2001.
"Women around the world deserve access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care services," said Gandy. "The Global Gag Rule has prevented that access for countless women over the past eight years. It is long past time for the government to untie the hands of NGOs, so they can fully serve women clients and receive the support they need."
"This is a strong start for President Obama, assuring the women of the U.S. and the women of the world that their health care needs will not be ignored or used as a political football by this administration. We look forward to additional progress from our new president, including full restoration of U.S. aid to the United Nations Population Fund, as well as revocation of the Department of Health and Human Services' midnight 'conscience' rule that further limits women's health care access," said Gandy.
### For Immediate Release Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906
Lesson to be learned: “It’s a crime against humanity that all those children were born instead of winding up looking like they spent five seconds in a blender.”
Planned Parentlessness
There is evil in the world
I understand. The NOW nags want, and always have wanted, as many 3rd-world babies killed as was humanly possible. It’s a racist strategy. Along that same vein, I’m now willing to call for FREE abortions for all NOW nags and liberals in general.
you don’t understand because you cannot get your mind that low in the gutter....to applaud the slaughter of innocent children is to lower ones self to depths barely understandable. They praise the fact that abortions will now be more readily available around the world......guess, if you can, who will be paying for them...BINGO you are right......the time for a taxpayer rebellion draws nearer and nearer
Suffer the little ones to come unto me.
This nation will reap what is sown.
Reproductive justice?
How about justice of the innocent?
I agree, this is a very bad thing. On the bright side, something like 65% of the people in this nation including women, think there are far too many abortions.
This is the last gasp of the slaughterhouse mentality, rearing it’s ugly head. The amount of abortions has already been going down in the U.S., and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it plummet over the next eight years, despite Obama’s actions.
It will be greatly reduced overseas as well, even if it does go up now temporarily.
I don’t understand something. Aside from the abortion issue, aren’t we broke? Why are we funding any of this nonsense?
“Reproductive justice.”
Amazing the euphemism’s employed by those who would murder unborn children.
“I don’t understand something. Aside from the abortion issue, aren’t we broke? Why are we funding any of this nonsense?”
The idea of how the rest of the world views us is a priority for the Democrats - not the money, and not Americans using that money. Kumbaya!
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