Global Gag Rule
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On his first business day in office in 2001, President George W. Bush reinstated the restrictive "global gag rule." Under this Reagan-era prohibition, no U.S. family planning assistance funding can be given to organizations that provide abortion services, offer counseling and referral for abortion care, or advocate legal abortion access in their own countries — even if they do so with their own funds.
Because of the global gag rule, international reproductive health care organizations have faced a dangerous dilemma: either accept desperately needed U.S. funds but deny women life-saving services and information, or reject U.S. assistance and be forced to cut crucial prevention services — with devastating results.
Here are the facts:
- Nineteen million women worldwide have unsafe abortions every year.
- An estimated 68,000 women worldwide die each year as a result of complications related to unsafe abortions.
In 2007, the U.S. Congress demonstrated that it was on our side: the Senate voted to fully repeal the global gag rule, and the House voted to allow donations of contraceptives. However, both of these provisions were dropped when President Bush threatened to veto them.
Help Planned Parenthood ensure that every woman, man, and teen around the world has access to the vital reproductive health information and services they need to stay healthy.
Join the Planned Parenthood Action Network and learn how to help ensure access to all reproductive health services for women and men everywhere.
Published: 06.17.08 | Updated: 06.17.08
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