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Thank Secretary of State Clinton for Her Leadership in Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health Worldwide
Last
week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton commemorated the 15th
anniversary of a major international agreement on health and human rights, stating a
renewed U.S. commitment to improving
sexual health and reproductive rights throughout the world.
At the
1994 United
Nations International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, 179 governments agreed to a 20-year
action plan that made the health and rights of women and young people central
to the global struggle to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development.
Since the ICPD, the United
Nations, civil society, and governments have been working to make protection of
human rights and access to reproductive health global realities. Despite some
progress, much remains to be done. Women and girls in many parts of the world still face
egregious violations of their basic human rights, and lack access to the
comprehensive reproductive health services they need to stay healthy including contraception, comprehensive sexuality
education, testing and treatment for reproductive cancers and prevention, testing
and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; maternity
care, and access to safe abortion services.
"If we
believe that human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human
rights, then we cannot accept the ongoing marginalization of half the world's
population," said Secretary Clinton. "We
cannot accept it morally, politically, socially, or economically."
Secretary Clinton deserves recognition for her leadership in
improving sexual and reproductive health worldwide. We also need to let her
know that we stand behind her as the United States turns these words into
action through policy changes and increased funding for critical health
services. Please take a moment to thank Secretary Clinton: Call 202-647-6575 or
send an email by clicking here (use your own text or the text below).
Dear Secretary Clinton,
On behalf of women and girls around the world, thank
you for reaffirming the U.S.
commitment to achieving the ICPD agenda by 2015.
Every
individual needs a range of services and information to realize their human
right to protect him/herself and live healthy and happy lives. By ensuring that women and young
people are central to U.S.
foreign policy - especially, the U.S. Global Health Initiative- we will increase
global momentum towards realizing the vision set forth in Cairo.
Change is needed, and I am here to help you make your words a
reality.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
P.S. At the International Women’s Health Coalition, our hearts go out to the people of Haiti and their families around the world in the wake of this week's devastating earthquake. Choose to include in your note to Secretary Clinton a thanks for the swift U.S. response to this severe humanitarian crisis.
Watch Secretary of State Clinton's Speech on Reproductive Health
Please take note: Due to inclement weather, Secretary Clinton's speech has been rescheduled for Friday January 8th, 2010.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver a major speech Friday, January 8, 2010 to mark the 15th year of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).
In her speech, Secretary Clinton will announce
the U.S. Government's renewed support for reaching the ICPD goals and
other related UN agreements including the Millennium Development Goals,
as well as the United States' unequivocal commitment to promoting and
protecting
sexual and reproductive health and reproductive
rights.
On Friday afternoon, tune in to Secretary Clinton's speech and
make it known that the world is watching as the U.S. commits to
securing a just and healthy life for women and girls worldwide.
The speech will be streamed live on www.icpd2015.org starting at
approximately 2:30 pm. A transcript and video of the speech will be
posted on this site following the event.
Though successful programs exist, more progress needs to be made. To
achieve the ICPD's goals by 2015, a sustained commitment is needed by
both the public and private sectors.
Please forward this email to your friends and colleagues. Take this
opportunity to view Secretary Clinton's speech, host viewing parties,
and commit to taking action for the ICPD Agenda throughout the New Year.
Visit www.icpd2015.org for more information.
Petition the White House for a Global Development Strategy
President Obama and his senior advisors are currently preparing
recommendations that will shape the future of U.S. efforts to reduce
poverty, improve health systems, and create economic opportunities for
the world's most vulnerable people, including women and young people.
IWHC has joined efforts with the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network and other development NGOs to ensure that your voice is heard in this process! Click here to sign the first-ever development community petition to the White House to indicate your strong support for:
-
prioritizing the wellbeing, human rights, and
empowerment of women and young people who remain at greatest risk of
poverty and violence;
-
fighting disease, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS;
-
creating economic opportunity in developing countries, especially for women and girls.
We need 150,000 signatures by December 17, so add your name today. Click here to view the total number of signatures so far.
This World AIDS Day, Thank Those Who Battle AIDS All Year Long
For over 25 years, IWHC has mobilized hundreds of women and young people to advocate for their human rights in their communities, with their governments, and at the UN. Together, we have achieved great gains: we’ve transformed policies, forged global agreements, and influenced global HIV/AIDS funding.
At the same time, we recognize that there is still much to be done to put the power of prevention in women’s hands. That’s why we continue to support grassroots organizations that understand that women’s sexual and reproductive rights are a pivotal neglected priority in HIV/AIDS policy, programming, and resource allocation.
Today, on World AIDS Day, we would like to recognize the extraordinary work of our partners, whose tireless efforts continue to ensure the health and rights of women and girls around the world:
- In the rural southern Indian district of Sangli, local primary health centers are often closed because the doctor doesn’t show up, or there are no medicines to dispense. Sangram, our partner organization, helps the most disadvantaged women in these communities—widows, low-caste women, sex workers—mobilize to demand the services to which they are entitled. As a result, in six local health centers, they now have contraceptives; a nurse midwife on duty 24 hours; a transport system to take women to the district hospital if there are complications during labor and childbirth; HIV counseling and effective referral for treatment—none of which were previously available.
- In Brazil, where young people bear the brunt of the HIV epidemic, our partner Grupo Curumim is taking proactive measures to arm a new generation with the tools they need to fight HIV/AIDs in their own community. Curumim’s youth program, Cunhatã, organizes workshops that provide youth with comprehensive and accurate information about their health and rights to empower young people to reach adulthood in good health.
These are just two examples of the incredible work of our colleagues. In ten different countries on three continents, our colleagues are providing young people with comprehensive sexuality education, distributing female condoms and advocating for policies and programs that uphold the rights of women and girls.
Join us this World AIDS day in thanking our partners for the difference they make in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Email your thanks to communications [at] iwhc.org and we will send a package of thank you notes to our partners.
Feel free to use the following text or write your own:
On this World AIDS day and on behalf of women and girls around the world, thank you for your leadership in the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS.
Empowering women and girls to stand up for themselves and make healthy choices about their lives and those of their families is important to me because _________________________.
I stand with you in solidarity as you work to ensure every woman's and girls' right to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
You've seen the news. You're in disbelief. Now Take Action Against the Stupak Amendment
The news that the House of Representatives passed a bill that, if enacted, would fundamentally change how abortion services are covered by insurance plans was met with disbelief by the majority of us. Despite months of discussion where many key players said they did not want to restrict abortion access any more than what is in current law, the House adopted an amendment in its health care reform bill that would do much more than prohibit federal funds - except in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother - from being used to pay for abortion coverage.
This extreme amendment (known as Stupak-Pitts, after the two Members that spearheaded the provision), goes well beyond current law by prohibiting insurers in the new system from providing health plans that use private funds to cover abortion services. This is a radical departure from the status quo - where 87% of employer based health plans currently cover abortion services.
The Senate is poised to take action on its version of a health care reform bill. Weigh in with them NOW to ensure they do not act to take away coverage for abortion services that women currently have.
Even Senators who have been long-time supporters of comprehensive women's health services need to hear from us to shore them up to stay strong and do the right thing. Don't underestimate the difference that your voice can make!
Tell them:
- We want meaningful health insurance reform in our country - but not if it doesn't provide coverage for legal health services.
- This is not the place to debate how people feel about abortion - abortion is a constitutionally protected and sometime-necessary health services that currently is covered in the overwhelming majority of health care plans.
- Women must be treated fairly in any reform plan - to do otherwise is both ineffective and unjust. Women must be able to purchase private or public health insurance that offers comprehensive reproductive health care that addresses needs through out their lives, including abortion care.
- We need your leadership - not just your votes - to make sure that there are no more restrictions than those that are currently in place.
To call or email your Senators (and calling is better) click here . Please act NOW to prevent an erosion of abortion coverage.
To learn more about the Stupak Amendment, you can find various analyses at www.RHRealityCheck.org.
Thank the UK Government for Supporting Access to Safe Abortion Services
Last week, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) released an updated policy position (Click to download PDF) on safe and unsafe abortion.
The policy, which guides DFID’s work in and aid to 150 countries, states that access to DFID's commitment to women's human rights and its leadership in improving sexual and reproductive health is exceptional and should set a standard for the world's governments. Click here to thank them for taking a stand for women. Write your own note, or use the text below.
To Whom It May Concern:
Thank you for your leadership on behalf of women and girls worldwide. In the 21st century, no woman should die or suffer injuries from unsafe abortion, and your new policy guidance will help make ensure access to safe abortion services available for women worldwide. Your continued support is critical for the many advocates working at local, national, and international levels to rescind or liberalize restrictive abortion laws.
Investments in women and girls are not only imperative in their own right, but are the building blocks of strong communities and nations. I hope you will continue to put women's health and rights at the center of development assistance policies and funding. Thank you again for your support.
Sincerely,
(NAME)
Take Action Now: Don't Let Women Lose in Healthcare Reform
Following weeks of
debate, congressional leaders have announced that they will not vote on health
care reform until September, after the summer recess. But this doesn't mean a stop to the
conversation-lawmakers will be hosting events across the country to continue
the momentum for reform, and they need
to hear from you.
Do you believe that basic
reproductive health services should be covered by public health plans? Do you believe that you and women throughout
the United States have the right to coverage for needed services?
Some politicians not only
oppose an expansion in access to reproductive health services, but are
threatening to restrict coverage. At the
same time, anti-choice leaders are threatening repercussions if provisions to expand insurance coverage
for abortions become law.
Women Can't Afford to Lose Because of Politics. Act Now.
Call or email your
representative and senators to let them know that you support access to
comprehensive reproductive care and services for all women. Click here to find your Senator's contact information, and
click here to find your Representative's contact
information.
Use the text below or write your own note.
Dear [Name],
Health care reform should
improve access to health services and care, not restrict it.
We cannot sacrifice
reproductive health care for the sake of politics. Millions rely on health care facilities that
provide the following comprehensive services that women and their families need
to stay healthy:
- Contraception and family planning services
- Maternal health services to ensure healthy pregnancies and safe childbirth
- Prevention, testing and treatment of STIs, including HIV
- Safe abortion services and post-abortion care
I strongly urge you to
make positive health outcomes, rather than politics, the goal of health care
reform. It would be unconscionable to do
otherwise. Women across the country rely
on your leadership- please stand strong for the essential healthcare package
women need to live healthy lives.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Ask the Senate to Invest in Global Health Programs for Women and Girls
The
U.S. Senate is in the process of allocating funding for various priorities in
the FY2010 State/Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, and needs to know that
you support health investments for women and girls. The Bill now includes an amendment introduced
by Senator Lautenberg that would ensure that a new Administration cannot
reinstate the Global Gag Rule. If passed, this
would protect the ability of organizations that receive U.S. funding to refer
patients to abortion services or participate in national dialogues about
abortion rights.
This
bill is expected to see floor action starting July 13, so action is required
now. Click here to
find your Senators
and let them both know that you support health
investments
for women and girls and the elimination of a policy that negatively affects
women and girls throughout the world. Call or send an email using your own note
or the text below:
Dear [Name],
I
strongly urge you to include robust funding for global health programs in the
FY2010 State/Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, including for
contraception and family planning; safe pregnancies and deliveries; the
prevention, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
infections; child health; malaria; tuberculosis; and neglected tropical
diseases.
I
also urge you to support the provision of this bill that protects the ability
of organizations that receive U.S. funding to refer patients for abortion
services or participate in national dialogues about abortions. Ensuring that a new Administration cannot
arbitrarily reinstate the Global Gag Rule is essential to promoting the health
and rights of women and girls throughout the world. U.S. funding for programs like these in
developing countries are less than 1% of the federal budget, but, when
implemented without restriction, can have a positive impact on the lives of so
many people, and help to ensure every woman's right to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
[Name]
To learn more about the steps the United
States can take to protect women's and girls' health and rights worldwide, click
here.
To learn more about current U.S. legislation and advocacy opportunities, click here.
Commend Activists in India on the Repeal of Discriminatory Penal Code 377
In a landmark Indian Delhi
High Court ruling
on July 2, only days after people worldwide took to the
streets for gay pride, Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah struck down Penal Code
377, overturning a colonial-era law criminalizing "carnal intercourse against
the order of nature with any man, woman or animal."
The ruling is the result of the remarkable
efforts of many dedicated activists. IWHC
is proud to congratulate Voices
Against 377 and the Naz Foundation
for leading the efforts to repeal 377. Our partners at Creating
Resources for Empowerment in Action (CREA), SANGRAM,
the Action Plus network, and the YP
Foundation stood strong with these advocates in working towards this
landmark decision.
Please join us in celebrating this important
victory by sending a congratulatory note to our partners. Send your notes
to communications@iwhc.org,
and we will forward them to our partners. You can write your own letter, or use
the text below.
Dear Advocates,
Thank
you for your work to eliminate discrimination by advocating for the repeal of
Penal Code 377. The progressive wording
of the Supreme Court ruling statement citing the value of an inclusive society
and noting that the recognition of equality "will foster the dignity of every individual"
is a testament to the great value of your work, and a nod to the importance of
your continued efforts to bring about inclusion, equality, and dignity.
Particularly in
India, where individuals face discrimination, stigma, and violence due to
sexual orientation, your work has resulted in a tremendous step forward for
human rights. This victory is important to me because .
Thanks to this ruling,
others, in India and beyond, will be inspired to advocate for a more inclusive,
safe, and just society.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Ask Congress to Invest in Global Health Programs
Congress is in the process of allocating funding for various
priorities - and needs to know you support investments in global health
programs. On Tuesday, June 23rd, the
House Appropriations Committee took up the
2010
State/Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, and it is expected to see floor action before their 4th of July recess. The programs that would be funded by this Bill are essential to promote the health and rights of
women and girls around the world. Congress should include robust
funding for global health programs, including for contraception and family
planning; safe pregnancies and deliveries; the prevention, treatment and care
of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; child health; malaria;
tuberculosis; and neglected tropical diseases.
Call or email your Member of Congress and let him or her know that
you support these health investments. US funding for programs like this
in developing countries is less than 1% of the federal budget, but can have a
positive impact on the lives of people helping to create a more just and
healthy life for all.
Thank Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman for his Leadership
Last night, the House of Representatives passed legislation to empower girls worldwide against child marriage and permanently establish an Office of Global Women's Issues.
Earlier this week, we asked you to
contact your representative to voice your support for these
provisions. Thanks to your action- and the actions of many- the United
States took a crucial step towards ensuring that U.S. policy decisions
effectively meet the needs of women and girls. We will continue to work
to ensure that these provisions are included in Senate legislation and
eventually signed into law.
While certain members of Congress
worked to derail the permanent establishment of the Office of Global
Women's Issues, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman
consistently stood strong for women and girls worldwide. Click here to email Representative Berman and thank him for his leadership. Write your own note, or use the text below.
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Thank you for your leadership in
ensuring the passage of the State Department Reauthorization bill (H.R.
2410). Your actions have taken us one step closer to securing every
woman's right to a just and healthy life. I care about women and girls because ________________________________.
Investments in women and girls are
not only imperative in their own right, but are the building blocks of
strong communities and nations. I hope you will continue to put women's
health and rights at the center of U.S. foreign assistance policies and
funding.
Thank you again for your support.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Prevent Child Marriage: Support the State Department Reauthorization
A bill coming to the House floor on Wednesday includes important provisions to prevent child marriage,
and to make the newly-formed Office on Global Women's Issues permanent.
This office will increase the State Department's long-term capacity to
make U.S. policy decisions more effective in meeting the needs of women
and girls.
Certain
members of Congress are trying to derail the Office of Global Women's
Issues and we need your help to ensure that women's issues are a key
part of U.S. policy. Call or email your Representative TODAY and ask
them to support the State Department Reauthorization (H.R. 2410). Click here to find your Representative's contact information. Write your own note, or use the text below:
Dear [Name],
I
strongly urge you to vote in favor of the State Department
Reauthorization, because it permanently establishes the Office of
Global Women's Issues to promote the health and rights of women and
girls. Other key provisions include programs to protect girls from
child marriage - a health and human rights violation with grave
consequences. We know there are efforts underfoot to undermine the
Office of Global Women's Issues, and I urge you to oppose them and
stand up for women - you have my support in doing so.
This legislation is crucial to securing a just and healthy life for every woman and girl.
Sincerely,
[Name]
To read IWHC's letter in support of the Office of Global Women's Issues, click here.
Thank
President Manuel Zelaya for Keeping EC Legal in Honduras
Women's health and rights activists
are celebrating President Manual Zelaya Rosales' decision to veto a bill that
would have outlawed emergency contraception in Honduras.
The bill, which the national
Congress of Honduras passed last month, would have made it illegal to sell,
purchase, distribute, or use emergency contraception. For a brief recap see Women Outraged that Honduras Outlaws EC.
Please write to President Zelaya today
at jvalladares@presidencia.gob.hn and thank him for standing strong for the
women of Honduras and ensuring they can continue to legally access emergency
contraception, which is a crucial part of comprehensive sexual and reproductive
health services. Contact information for President Zelaya can be found below,
as well as a sample thank you letter in English and Spanish.
Excelentísimo Señor
Presidente de la República de Honduras
Don Manuel Zelaya Rosales
Su Despacho
Email: jvalladares@presidencia.gob.hn
Señor Presidente:
On behalf of women worldwide, thank
you for your unwavering support for women's health and human rights.
Ensuring women's access to
comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services such as emergency
contraception is one crucial step towards securing every woman's right to a
just and healthy life. As a result of your veto of Decree No. 54-2009 from
April 2, 2009, more women will be able to decide when and if they want to get
pregnant.
Thank you again for helping girls
and women access the sexual and reproductive health services they need to stay
healthy and safe.
Sincerely,
[Insert your name]
Señor Presidente:
En nombre de las mujeres del mundo,
les agradezco por su determinado apoyo en beneficio de nuestra salud y derechos
humanos.
Asegurar el acceso de la mujer a
servicios integrales de salud sexual y reproductiva, como la anticoncepción de
emergencia, es un paso decisivo hacia la salvaguarda del derecho de ésta a una
vida justa y sana. El veto que usted ejerció sobre el Decreto No.
54-2009, con fecha 2 de abril de 2009, permitirá a más mujeres
decidir si están listas y dispuestas para embarazarse y en qué momento hacerlo.
Les reitero mi agradecimiento por
haber ayudado a que niñas y mujeres tengan acceso a los servicios de salud
sexual y reproductiva que necesitan para llevar una vida sana y segura.
Atentamente,
[Su nombre]
Thank U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice for Leadership on Human Rights
On May 12, the United States was elected to
the United Nations (U.N.) Human Rights Council for the
first time, ending the previous administration's boycott of the Council. Susan
Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, reinforced the importance of U.S. global leadership
"based on the strong principled vision that the American people have about
respecting human rights and supporting democracy."
The
Obama Administration and Ambassador Rice deserve recognition for making human
rights, including the health and rights of women and girls, central to U.S. foreign
policy and diplomacy. Call 212-415-4050 or send an email by clicking here (using your own text or the text
below).
Dear
Ambassador Rice,
On behalf of women and girls around the world, thank you for your leadership in
protecting human rights by joining the U.N. Human Rights Council. The
decision to seek election to the council for the first time was a positive step
towards upholding human rights on a global scale, and is critical for the
protection of the world's girls and women.
Change
is needed - and the world relies on you to make it happen. Your continued
leadership will allow millions of women and girls to live more safely and
healthily, and ensure every woman's and girls' right to a just and healthy
life.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Tell Congress to Act Today for the World's Women and Girls by Supporting Legislation Against Child Marriage
Legislation to prevent child marriage
around the globe was just introduced in both the U.S. House of
Representatives (H.R. 2103) and U.S. Senate (S. 987). Most young people
who are married under age 18 are girls, and in some countries, as many
as 76% of girls are married before age 18.
For the more than 100 million girls in the developing world who will be married
in the next ten years, it is critical that this legislation passes.
Call or email Congress TODAY and ask them to cosponsor this
legislation. Click here to find your Senator's contact information, and click here to find your Representative's contact information. Write your own note, or use the text below:
Dear [Name],
I
strongly urge you to cosponsor the International Protecting Girls by
Preventing Child Marriage Act to protect girls around the world from the
child marriage - a health and human rights violation with grave
consequences. Young brides are at increased risk of:
· Becoming infected with sexually transmitting infections, including HIV. Often married to much older men who have had multiple sexual partners, girls are likely powerless to use a condom in marriage.
· Maternal mortality.
Girls younger than 15 are five times more likely to die during
childbirth or pregnancy than older women; girls ages 15-19 are twice as
likely to die.
· Obstetric fistula. This debilitating condition results when a girl's body is not developed enough to give birth, and causes chronic incontinence.
· Dropping out of school. Young girls are often forced to leave school as soon as they are married.
This
legislation is crucial to securing a just and healthy life for every
woman and girl. Healthier young people will shape a healthier, more
just world!
Sincerely,
[Name]
Click here
to watch a PBS NOW special on child marriage about the effects the
practice has on the health and rights of girls and entire communities.
Thank Secretary of State Clinton for Defending the Right to Safe Abortion
On April 22, 2009
at a congressional hearing on U.S. foreign policy priorities for the Obama
Administration, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended the right to
safe abortion worldwide and the Obama Administration's decision to finance reproductive
health services. "We are now an
Administration that will protect the rights of women," said Clinton, "including their rights to
reproductive health care." The full
hearing can be viewed here.
Secretary Clinton deserves recognition for her
ongoing effort to ensure that the health and rights of women and girls are
prioritized in U.S. foreign policy and resources.
We also need to let her know that we stand behind her as they move these
words into action in both structural and policy changes within the
Administration.
Please take a moment to thank
Secretary Clinton: Call 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here (using your own text or the text
below).
Dear Secretary Clinton,
On behalf of women and girls around the world, thank you for your leadership in
ensuring that U.S.
foreign assistance meets the needs of women and girls. Every
individual needs a range of services and information to protect him/herself and
live healthy and happy lives. A critical step in rethinking how the United States
spends scarce resources is prioritizing the wellbeing, rights, and empowerment
of women and young people who remain at risk of poverty, illness and violence.
Your continued leadership will
allow millions to access the sexual and reproductive health services and
information they need.
Change is needed - and the world relies on you
to make it happen. I will stand with you
as you continue revamp US policies and programs to ensure every woman's and
girls' right to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Take Action Today to Support Dominican Women’s Rights
Women in the Dominican Republic face a dire threat of losing their
rights to contraception, assisted reproduction services, and safe
abortion care.
Please take two actions today to support Dominican women as they fight to retain access to the sexual and reproductive health care they need and want:
- Sign a petition
asking Senate President Reinaldo Pared Pérez and President of the House
of Representatives Julio Cesar Valentin Jiminian to stand strong for
women's rights, and
- Send a letter to the Presidents of
the Senate and House to express your concern women's rights are being
eroded in the Constitutional reform process and demand that they stand
up for women's rights and health. Read a sample letter, in Spanish only.
What is happening with women's rights in the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican law that criminalizes abortion is over 100 years-old and
prohibits abortion even in cases of rape. Spurred by a push from
women's rights advocates, the executive branch decided reform the law
in August 2006. In the summer of 2007, public hearings were held on
decriminalizing abortion. While this review process is still ongoing,
it has been further complicated by a decision to undertake
constitutional reforms.
Recently, President Leonel Fernandez proposed new
Constitutional language to establish the right to life from conception.
Women's rights and health advocates, led by Colectiva Mujer y Salud,
are concerned that if this new language could make it illegal for women
to use contraceptives or assisted reproduction and stop any progress on
making abortion safe and legal. Please speak out today on the right of
all women and girls to access comprehensive sexual and reproductive
health care, which must include contraceptives, safe abortion care, and
other services they need to fully realize their rights.
Sample letter to President Leonel
Fernandez and Vice President Julio Cesar Valentin Jiminian of the
Dominican Republic expressing concern women's rights are being eroded
in the Constitutional reform process and demanding that they stand up
for women's rights and health. Please include all email addresses; the
carbon copied addresses are advocates in the Dominican Republic who are
working on this issue.
To: r.pared@senado.gov.do; jcesarvalentin@yahoo.es
Cc: centroderepresentacion@gmail.com; colec.mujer@codetel.net.do;
sergiagalvan@hotmail.com
Sr. Reynaldo Pared Perez
Presidente de la Asamblea Revisora de la Constitución Dominicana
Sr. Julio Cesar Valentin Jiminian
Vicepresidente de la Asamblea Revisora de la Constitución Dominicana
La Comunidad Internacional se siente preocupada por las consecuencias que
podría tener para el disfrute de los derechos humanos de las mujeres
dominicanas la aprobación del artículo 30 del texto de Reforma Constitucional
presentado por el Poder Ejecutivo.
De aprobarse dicho artículo, estableciendo que el "derecho a la vida es
inviolable desde la concepción hasta la muerte":
- Se violarían derechos humanos fundamentales de las mujeres y
acuerdos y compromisos
internacionales de los cuales la República Dominicana es signataria o
compromisaria, como por ejemplo, la Convención sobre la Eliminación de todas
las formas de Discriminación contra las Mujeres.
- La interpretación de dicho texto, podría conllevar a la penalización
o trabas para el uso de algunos métodos anticonceptivos, como el dispositivo
intrauterino DIU o la anticoncepción de emergencia.
- Podría incrementar los embarazos no deseados y consecuentemente, los
abortos en condiciones de clandestinidad y altos riesgos para la salud y la vida
de las mujeres, sobre todo, para los escasos recursos económicos.
- Constitucionalmente, se establecerá la obligación de dejar morir a una
mujer en caso de un embarazo ectópico; tampoco se podrá inducir un parto
prematuro en casos de pre-eclampsia, cardiopatía severa, rotura prematura de
membranas con producto inmaduro, cáncer y enfermedades sistémicas que hagan
incompatible la vida de la madre con la continuación del embarazo.
- El personal de salud, el cual tiene la responsabilidad ética y moral
de salvar vidas, estaría expuesto a sanciones legales y jurídicas, y por demás,
constitucional, si no respetan "la vida desde la concepción" cuando
se vean en la disyuntiva de tener que elegir entre salvar la vida de una mujer,
o del embrión, o feto que lleva en su vientre.
Urge the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Withdraw Harmful Rules for
Women (March 27, 2009)
President
Obama moved to repeal a regulation that jeopardizes access to reproductive
health care. The regulation, issued at the end of Bush's presidency, expands
the authority of individuals and institutions to refuse to provide abortions,
tubal ligations, and vasectomies based on religious or moral beliefs and would
impact research as well.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is accepting public
comments on the Obama proposal through April 9 and our voices must be
heard. Send an email to proposedrescission@hhs.gov using your own text
or the text below:
To:
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
I urge you
to rescind the "Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services
Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in
Violation of Federal Law" regulation in its entirety. This regulation:
- Undermines
patient rights by allowing individual
providers, insurance plans, pharmacies, and hospitals to withhold
information and services. It even allows for those who are
tangentially involved - such as receptionists - to interfere by refusing
patient referrals.
- Makes it
more difficult for women to obtain contraceptive services.
Not only does the rule allow refusal of abortions and sterilizations, but
it also enables health care providers to deny patients oral
contraceptives, intrauterine devices, and emergency contraception. At a time
when 17 million women in the United States are in need of publicly-funded
contraceptives - a number that will likely grow along with the troubled
economy - this rule is unconscionable.
- Conflicts
with existing law that requires federally-funded
family planning providers to offer non-directive counseling and informed
consent for any procedures.
- Affects
women globally. The rule applies to foreign
and international organizations, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United Nations, that receive HHS
funding.
I
strongly urge you to repeal this destructive regulation and help to make
positive health outcomes, rather than politics, the goal of health care
investments.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Thank Senator Leahy for Standing Strong
for Women and Girls! (March 11, 2009)
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) proved himself a powerful ambassador for women
and girls last week by supporting UNFPA,
the United Nations Population Fund, on the Senate floor. UNFPA provides
vital sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, care
during pregnancy and childbirth, and prevention of sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV. UNFPA delivers these lifesaving services in over 150
countries, often in areas where no other services exist.
Senator Leahy deserves recognition for his work to ensure that UNFPA
receives the funding it needs for its vital work. Please take a moment to thank
Senator Leahy. Call 202-224-4242 or send an email to senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
(using your own text or the text below).
- Dear Senator Leahy,
On behalf of women and girls around the world,
thank you for your leadership in securing U.S. funding for UNFPA, the United
Nations Population Fund. Your support for UNFPA will allow millions to access
the sexual and reproductive health services and information they need.
The world relies on your support, and I urge you
to continue to stand strong for every woman's right to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Ask the Senate to Commit to Reproductive Health
(February 25, 2009)
The House of
Representatives today passed legislation that funds programs in 2009. The
measure includes funding for humanitarian assistance and international health
programs that support HIV/AIDS relief, maternal health, and family
planning. The Senate now needs to vote.
Click here to find your Senator
and his or her contact information, and join activists across the country in
asking Congress to stand strong for key investments, including:
- An increase for international family planning programs.
Two hundred million women in
the developing world do not have access to the contraceptives they need to
choose if and when to have a child. With increased funding,
including funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the
United States can help meet this need and provide comprehensive
reproductive health care that would allow women to safely carry a
pregnancy and give birth, and prevent and treat sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV/AIDS. Tell your Senator that funding family
planning programs, especially funding for UNFPA, is crucial to ensuring
the health and rights of women everywhere.
- An increase in funding for maternal and child health. More than half a million women die from preventable
complications of pregnancy and childbirth each year, almost all of them in
poor countries. Adequate funding for maternal and child health is long
overdue to end the continuing and unnecessary death and suffering of women
- and consequent toll on their families and communities.
To learn more about
the steps the United States can take to protect women's and girls' health and
rights worldwide, click here.
To learn more about current U.S. legislation and advocacy opportunities, click here.
Ask The House to Commit to Reproductive Health
(February 24, 2009)
House
Democrat leaders released legislation Monday that would fund programs in 2009.
The measure includes funding for humanitarian assistance and international
health programs that include HIV/AIDS relief, maternal health, and family
planning.
Click here to find your
Representative and his or her contact information, and join activists across
the country in asking Congress to stand strong for key investments
including:
- An
increase for international family planning programs. Two hundred million women in the developing world do
not have access to the contraceptives they need to choose if and when to
have a baby. With increased funding, including funding for the
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United States can help meet
this need and provide comprehensive reproductive health care that would
allow women to safely carry a pregnancy and give birth, and prevent and
treat sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. Tell your
Congressperson that family planning programs, especially funding for
UNFPA, is crucial to ensuring the health and rights of women everywhere.
- An
increase in funding for maternal and child health. More than half a million women die from preventable
complications of pregnancy and childbirth each year, almost all of them in
poor countries. Adequate funding for maternal and child health is long
overdue to end the continuing and unnecessary death and suffering of women
- and consequent toll on their families.
To learn more about the steps the United States
can take to protect women's and girls' health and rights worldwide, click here.
To learn more about current U.S. legislation and advocacy opportunities, click here.
Support President Obama in Prioritizing
Good Sexuality Education
(February 20, 2009)
President Obama submits next year's budget to
Congress at the end of this month. Now is the time to endorse his support for
medically accurate, age-appropriate sexuality education and make sure that the
funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs is a thing of the
past.
Programs that exclusively promote abstinence
jeopardize the health and well-being of millions of young people and misuse
scarce public resources. An independent analysis by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. found no
difference in the sexual behavior of U.S. students who had received instruction
in abstinence-only programs and those who had not. For these reasons,
about half of all states have refused funding for
abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
Please call President Obama at 202-456-1111
or click here to
write a note asking him and his administration to redirect funding for
abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to a comprehensive approach to
sexuality education. Please use the text below or write your own note:
-
Dear President Obama,
As you prepare to present the 2010 budget to Congress, I urge you to eliminate
funding for ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in the United
States and in low-income countries that receive U.S. foreign assistance. I care
about young people because ____________.
Please help ensure every young person's right
to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
[Name]
To learn more from the International Women's Health Coalition
(IWHC) on the sexual and reproductive knowledge and behaviors of young people
in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, click here.
Tell Pakistani Authorities to Uphold Justice for Mukhtar Mai and Women Worldwide
(February 6, 2009)
In 2002, a young woman in Pakistan named Mukhtar
Mai was gang-raped as punishment for her 12-year-old brother's alleged
affair with a woman of a higher clan. Because of Mai's determination to
seek justice, the 13 accused were detained, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan
is poised to hear the case next week.
A sitting Federal Minister of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Sardar Mohammed
Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, has pressured Mukhtar Mai to drop charges against
the 13 men, and has threatened to influence the decision of the Supreme Court
in favor of her perpetrators.
Mukhtar Mai has been honored by Time and Glamour magazines,
and received a special award at the International
Women's Health Coalition's (IWHC's) 2006 gala for her strength, courage,
and leadership. In this urgent situation, we ask you to call or write or fax
letters to the Pakistani authorities listed below to ensure Mai's safety and
hold the Minister accountable for his actions. If you plan to fax or email
letters, please use the text below or write your own note:
Dear [Name],
We are gravely concerned that Federal Minister,
Mr. Sardar Abdul Qayyum, has pressured Mukhtar Mai - a bastion of human rights
worldwide - to drop charges against the accused in her case, scheduled for
hearing in the second week of February 2009. We believe that the
Minister's message is an indirect threat to the life of Mukhtar Mai.
We urge you to:
- Ensure Mukhtar Mai's case is processed without any political pressure
or influence;
- Take special and urgent measures to
ensure Mukhtar Mai's safety and security before, during, and after the hearing;
and
- Hold the Federal Minister accountable for
his interference in an adjudicated matter and for threatening the safety of
Mukhtar Mai and her family.
Thank you,
[Name]
Contact Information:
His Excellency
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President's Avenue
Islamabad, Pakistan
Phone: +92-51-9206069
FAX: +92-51-9203297 & +92-51-922 1422
His Excellency
Mr. Yousuf Raza Gillani
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister of House
Islamabad, Pakistan
Phone: +92-51-9206111
Fax: +92-51-9206907
Mr. Rehman Malik
Advisor/Minister for Interior
R Block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad, Pakistan
Email address: ministry.interior@gmail.com,
interior.complaintcell@gmail.com
Phone: +92-51-9212026
Fax: +92-51-9202624
Ms. Sherry Rehman
Minister for Women Development
1/F, State Building: 5
Islamabad, Pakistan
Phone: +92-51-920-1083
Mr. Salman Tasseer
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Lahore, Pakistan
Fax: +92-42-9200077
Thank Senator Boxer for Standing Up for Women
(January 28, 2009)
On January 23, we commended President Obama for rescinding the Global Gag Rule.
But on January 28, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) proposed an amendment
that would have reinstated the Global Gag Rule. Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA) rose to the occasion and called for a vote, and the amendment
was defeated.
This is a great outcome, but it also underscores the fact that we need to stay engaged. We urge you to take a moment to thank
Senator Boxer for her support. Use the text below or write your own:
Dear
Senator Boxer,
Thank
you for the good work you did on behalf of women everywhere by standing up
against today's attempt to reinstate the Global Gag Rule.
Foreign non-governmental organizations must be able to provide the
comprehensive reproductive health care women need, including contraception and
safe abortion counseling and services.
Your continued support is crucial because
_______________________. Thank you for standing strong to secure every woman's
right to a just and healthy life.
Sincerely,
NAME
Powerful Precedents: No Global Gag Rule, New HIV/AIDS Leadership, and Support for UNFPA
(January 23, 2009)
President Obama is already taking steps to ensure a just and healthy
life for women and girls. Within just three days of the inauguration,
the Obama Administration has made clear that achieving national
security requires equal attention to human security. Three early
actions signal that sexual and reproductive rights and health are
fundamental to human security in the new Administration:
- President Obama signed an executive order rescinding the Global Gag Rule,
which limited foreign non-governmental organizations’ ability to
provide the comprehensive reproductive health care women need,
including contraception and safe abortion counseling and services.
- President Obama signaled his intent to rejoin the global community by endorsing the work of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
- Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton paved the way for new U.S. leadership on
HIV/AIDS by asking for the resignation of global HIV/AIDS coordinator,
Mark Dybul.
Please take a moment to thank President Obama
and his administration for these early steps by sending him an email.
Use this text as is, or write your own and send it to comments@whitehouse.gov
Dear President Obama,
I applaud the actions you and your Administration have taken this week
to ensure the health and rights of women and girls worldwide. By
rescinding the global gag rule, creating an opportunity for new
leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and moving toward support of
United Nations Population Fund you have taken the first steps down a
long road of reshaping U.S. policy to better meet the sexual and
reproductive health needs of women and girls around the world.
These issues are important to me because
___________________________________. I hope you will continue to
empower women and girls to enjoy just and healthy lives.
Sincerely,
NAME
What Should the New U.S.
Administration Do On Day One?
(January 8, 2009)
International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC)
President Adrienne Germain has proposed an agenda
to secure every woman's right to a just and healthy life, and the Better World
Campaign likes what she has to say. The Campaign has narrowed down its
list of the most pressing issues facing the new U.S. administration to just
nine ideas, and has selected Adrienne as a finalist.
Check out Adrienne's answer and vote for her
entry here.
You can also hear what IWHC co-founder Joan
Dunlop and Jennifer Wilen, IWHC's Assistant Program Officer, Francophone
Africa, think the new Administration can do to stand strong for sexual and
reproductive health and rights.
In the coming year, IWHC will
continue to be part of a global conversation about what the United States can
do to address some of the world's most critical challenges. You can be a
part of it by keeping up to date on our actions
and supporting
our work.
Tell the Next UNAIDS Director What is Needed to Empower Women and Girls Against HIV/AIDS
(December 1, 2008)
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) will soon hire a new executive director, Mr. Michel Sidibé. To
mark the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, we ask you to write to
UNAIDS and let them know what the next director should do to protect
women and girls.
Write to UNAIDS using the text as is, or write your own and send to: communications@unaids.org.
Dear Mr. Sidibé,
As HIV infection rates among young people and women rise, we look to
UNAIDS leadership to recognize gender inequality as a driver of the
epidemic. That means making sexual and reproductive rights and health
central to a comprehensive response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
To be effective, you should prioritize: the hiring of
staff, consultants and advisors with expertise in women’s and young
people’s health and rights; clear objectives for achieving gender
equality; open, transparent interactions with a broad range of civil
society constituencies, including women living with HIV/AIDS and
women’s organizations; and the implementation of a comprehensive
approach to prevention, treatment, and care for women and girls.
I care about women and girls
because__________________________________. With lives at risk
throughout the world, I hope you will empower them in the face of the
pandemic.
Sincerely,
NAME
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