Six Years of the Global Gag Rule have Weakened Women's Access to Reproductive Health Care

July 19, 2007

In January, 2001, during his first full day in office, President Bush reinstated the Global Gag Rule, also known at the Mexico City Policy. Implemented by the Reagan administration in 1984 and later overturned by President Clinton, this repressive anti-woman policy prohibits U.S. funding to international family planning organizations that:

• provide abortion counseling or services,
• disseminate information about abortion,
• offer referrals to abortion providers, or
• lobby for abortion law reform within their own countries.

Even foreign organizations that use only non-U.S. monies to fund abortion-related advocacy and services -- including only those that are legal in their own country and would be legal in the U.S. -- are denied U.S. funding under the Global Gag Rule.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Global Democracy Promotion Act.

Called the "gag" rule because it represses free speech and debate on abortion-related issues, the destructive health policy undermines efforts to prevent unwanted and forced pregnancies, and thus the need for abortion, by reducing access to contraceptives. The Global Gag Rule forces international family planning programs to make a cruel choice:

1. accept U.S. funding and adhere to the strict rules of not providing any abortion-related counseling, services, referrals, or advocacy, or
2. reject the policy and lose essential U.S. funds and contraceptive supplies.

Since the gag rule was reinstated in 2001, many overseas health clinics have closed and programs that remain have suffered severe budget cuts, laid off large numbers of health professionals, and scaled back services. As a result, the lack of access to services and contraceptives has led to an increase in unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions and has hindered HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.

Action Needed

Representatives Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Chris Shays (R-Conn.) reintroduced the Global Democracy Promotion Act in the House, and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) in the Senate. The bill would repeal the Global Gag Rule altogether and provide essential funds for international family planning programs. If passed, the legislation would prohibit the denial of U.S. funds to overseas organizations based on the medical services they offer, including counseling and referrals.

Abolishing the Global Gag Rule is vital to meeting the demand for family planning funding and supplies in the developing world. Filling this unmet need through U.S. foreign aid can help reduce the 52 million unintended pregnancies, the estimated 29 million abortions, and 75,000 deaths from unsafe abortions that occur each year. Furthermore, access to condoms will help curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Full access to preventative measures and family planning services is vital to giving women the resources they need to control their fertility and sexual health.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Global Democracy Promotion Act.

Additional resources:

• Access Denied: U.S. Restrictions on International Family Planning
• Planned Parenthood: The Global Gag Rule
• NARAL Pro-Choice America: Global Gag Rule: A Flawed Policy That Sacrifices Women's Lives (PDF)
• Population Action International: What You Need to Know About the Global Gag Rule Restrictions on U.S. Family Planning Assistance (PDF)