For the past two decades, activists in Latin America and the Caribbean have designated September 28th as a day to call for access to legal and safe abortion. In 2011, they were joined by a network of abortion advocates from around the world to make this a Global Day of Action.
Why? Too many countries have highly restrictive abortion laws in place, leaving women with few options for obtaining a safe abortion. In some parts of the United States and Europe, state and regional governments are attempting to make abortion access impossible. During 20 years of expanded activism for safe abortion, two U.S. policies have impacted access to abortion overseas: the Global Gag Rule and the Helms Amendment.
The Global Gag Rule (also known as the Mexico City Policy) prohibits any foreign organizations that receive U.S. family planning assistance the right to use their own non-U.S. funds to provide information, referrals or services for legal abortion, or to advocate for legal abortion in their countries. The Global Gag Rule is currently repealed under the Obama administration, but without a permanent legislative fix it could easily be reinstated under a more conservative President.
The other U.S. policy hindering abortion access for women is the Helms Amendment. The amendment restricts the use of foreign aid for abortion “as a method of family planning.” The executive branch currently interprets this statement without exception: meaning even abortions performed as a result of rape, incest or to save a woman’s life are ineligible for foreign aid. This flawed interpretation could be resolved by the administration clarifying that abortion in these narrow instances—rape, incest or to save a woman’s life—can receive U.S. support.
We—along with 80 other health and human rights organizations—have asked the White House to do just that, but it’s been nearly two months without any action. What are they waiting for? As women around the world face unprecedented levels of violence and vulnerability in conflict situations , the United States should not hold back on providing them life-saving services.
The Sept. 28 day of action is a reminder that a woman in Bogota can face the same struggles as a woman in Birmingham when it comes to abortion access. When a country restricts access, it does not drive down the number of abortions, it just makes them unsafe. Now is the time to support the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, and safe access for women everywhere.
3 Responses to “A Global Call for Safe Abortion”
Edward Laurson
Family planning and safe abortions are a necessity in our growing world and limited resources.
Lee Miller
The White House is unlikely to make any such decision before the election. They likely don’t want to rock the boat, but actually it would be a good thing to do to encourage more woman to vote for Democrats. Republicans are the enemy of choice here and abroad.
Jane Roberts
Unsafe illegal abortion is the direct cause of 13 percent of maternal deaths. When the world takes care of women, women take care of the world.