Today is yet another remarkable day in history, in the United States and around the world. After eight long years, President Obama has repealed the dangerous and cruel global gag rule!
This is a victory for women’s health advocates and providers, but more than anything, it’s a victory for women worldwide, from the mountain villages in Nepal to the deserts of Nigeria. These women have seen their access to basic services diminish and their health and quality of life suffer. Clinics closed, contraceptive supplies dwindled, and women were left without basic and critical health care services. As a result, there were more unintended pregnancies and more unsafe abortions.
Thanks to today’s action by President Obama, overseas providers will no longer be "gagged" from offering the full range of reproductive health options for fear of losing critical funding.
There are significant challenges ahead of us when it comes to women’s health around the globe. President Obama’s repeal of the gag rule today is a first and major step up the mountain we must climb to ensure that the health and rights of women around the world are protected. While it’s a tall mountain to climb, we here at Planned Parenthood are hopeful and more committed than ever to reaching the top, and we look forward to working closely with the Obama administration to get there.
Please join us in taking a moment to recognize this first, important step forward. Thank President Obama and let him know that you appreciate that he’s shown that women’s health will be a priority for the new administration.
Also, check out our new Facebook application that lets you send a text message thanking President Obama directly from your mobile phone!