The Context: Overview of U.S. Foreign Policy Under the Bush Administration

Since taking office, the Bush administration has pursued a number of policies that threaten the health and rights of women and girls worldwide. Backed by a Republican-controlled Congress, the Administration is eroding global sexual and reproductive health and rights in four ways: by limiting or withdrawing funding from effective programs; by creating new sources of funding or channeling existing funds through organizations and programs that promote its political and moral agenda, regardless of their scientific legitimacy or public health credentials; by censoring information, advocacy, and research on comprehensive health strategies; and by trying to renege on previous international agreements involving sexual and reproductive health and rights.

IWHC keeps a running catalog of these policies and actions in our Bush’s Other War factsheet, updated regularly. We also track comparable congressional actions in a separate, more action-oriented factsheet, titled Stay Informed, Take Action. All of these initiatives not only harm women, they also have devastating consequences for social and economic development and human rights. As the largest bilateral donor for many countries, the United States wields tremendous political and financial power. The Administration, by gagging public discussion of women’s rights and health, is undermining a key civil society sector in developing countries at a time when promoting democracy and civil society development abroad is crucial.

Politics vs. Public Health
Several identifiable trends run through the Administration’s policies, chief among them a willingness to place political concerns over sound public health practice, both domestically and internationally. “Politics and Science,” a comprehensive website developed by U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), ranking member of the House Committee on Government Reform, provides an ongoing record of Bush administration interference with science and research. It analyzes a wide range of subjects, including abstinence-only education, condoms, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, stem cell research, and education policy. You can access “Politics and Science” here.

Using Abortion as a Smokescreen
The Bush administration has justified cutting funds and support for international reproductive health programs by using unsubstantiated claims that these programs either engage in, or support, coercive abortion practices. For example, the Administration has withheld, for four years, the United States’s $34 million dollar contribution to UNFPA, the largest multilateral provider of family planning and reproductive health services in the developing world, even though four separate investigative teams—including one sent by the U.S. State Department—have found the charges leveled against UNFPA to be groundless. In August 2003, the Administration again used this tactic to cut off funding for a consortium of organizations delivering emergency health care to refugee women. And it has repeatedly refused to recognize goals to improve “reproductive health services” in international agreements, erroneously claiming that this phrase is a code word for abortion. By pursuing such a strategy overseas, the Administration cultivates the far right, a pivotal constituency, while it avoids offending moderate voters.

Taking Action
What can you do to fight back and help the world’s women?

Stay informed. Bookmark our factsheets on the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress and check them regularly for updates. For more in-depth knowledge about key policies and issues, click on the dark gray tabs in the left-hand column of this page. 

Tell your friends. Spread the word about how U.S. foreign policies are affecting women worldwide: You can email any page on our site to a friend by clicking on the tab in the top-right corner.

Get involved. Visit our action page, or sign up for our email action list. Attend our events, and if you can, make a contribution. It is up to you to make a difference!