An exhaustive
report in this morning's Ottowa Citizen outlines the effects of the Bush administration's right-wing policies on population levels and disease in the developing world.
An acute global shortage in contraceptives has experts in Africa predicting a population explosion and a frightening spread of AIDS. The culprits? A U.S. aid policy that promotes abstinence, the indifference of the developed world and corruption at home.
The article spells out the main reason why these lifesaving programs are drastically underfunded in no uncertain terms:
U.S. President George W. Bush introduced his "global gag rule" in 2001. It dictated that non-governmental organizations that counsel abortion, refer women for abortion services or that lobby for abortion rights in their own countries be denied U.S. funding, even if the organizations used money not donated by the U.S. to provide these services. U.S.-funded HIV/AIDS programs must allocate 33 per cent of their funding to abstinence programs, and no more than 20 per cent can be allocated into contraception or sex education. Mr. Bush, like many Christian fundamentalists, promotes the ABC campaign: Abstinence, Being Faithful or Condoms.
As you GOTV this week, remember that this election isn't just about politics, it's about human lives. Every vote for Kerry has the potential to help millions.