• Accessibility Tools
  • Action Headquarters
  • Media Center
    • Press Releases
    • Press Kit
    • All News

American Humanist Association

Advocating progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About
    • About

      For over 80 years, the AHA has proudly served as the leading progressive voice in America on behalf of humanists, atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers.

      Learn More
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financial Info and Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Are You Humanist?
    • Are You Humanist?

      Guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience.

      Learn More
    • Definition of Humanism
    • Humanism and Its Aspirations
    • Humanist of the Year Award
    • Famous Humanists in History
  • Key Issues
    • Key Issues

      We are committed to building an inclusive America grounded in an embrace of reason, ethics, scientific inquiry, and compassion- rather than religious dogma.

      Learn More
    • Defending Nontheists and Promoting Humanism
    • Religion and Government Separation
    • Social Justice
    • Scientific Integrity
    • Promoting Peace
    • Resolutions and Statements
  • What We Do
    • What We Do

      We work tirelessly in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend civil liberties, secular governance, and scientific integrity.

      Learn More
    • Legal
    • Legislative
    • Education Center
    • Local Groups
    • Programs and Adjuncts
    • Publications
    • AHA at the Supreme Court
    • National Day of Reason
    • Boycott the Pledge Campaign
    • Humanist Disaster Recovery
    • Speakers Bureau
    • Humanism for All Prisoners’ Project
  • Get Involved
    • Get Involved

      Ready for change? Join our network and be the first to take action. Get the resources and tools you need to make a real difference.

      Learn More
    • Humanist Action Headquarters
    • Report a Violation or Discrimination
    • Find a Local AHA Chapter
    • Become a Humanist Celebrant
    • Events and Conferences
    • Grants and Programs
    • Resources
  • Ways to Give
    • Ways to Give

      Through winning lawsuits, active lobbying, and effective media campaigns, your contribution can go a long way.

      Learn More
    • Join
    • Renew
    • Donate
    • Online-Only Membership
    • Leave a Bequest
    • IRA Rollover Gifts
    • Other Ways to Give
  • Media Center
  • Take Action
July 8, 2015 News

Senate Must Not Reinstate Harmful Global Gag Rule

Facebook Twitter Email Share
July 8, 2015 News

The AHA had joined 77 other organizations to express opposition to the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule. This harmful policy would restrict foreign organizations from receiving US aid money if they provide information, referrals, or services for legal abortion or advocate for access to abortion services in their own country.

The US Senate may be working to reinstate the rule as part of the FY2016 State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.

Read the coalition statement below.

 

Coalition Statement Opposing Reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule
June 2015

We join together as diverse voices from a variety of sectors to oppose any effort to reinstate the harmful global gag rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. While the Helms Amendment restricts U.S. foreign assistance funding for abortions “as a method of family planning,” the global gag rule goes a step further by preventing foreign organizations using their own funds to provide information, referrals, or services for legal abortion or to advocate for access to abortion services in their own country from receiving U.S. international family planning assistance.

The global gag rule causes serious harm in countries around the world. The policy interferes with the doctor-patient relationship by restricting medical information healthcare providers may offer, limits free speech by prohibiting local citizens from participating in public policy debates, and impedes women’s access to family planning by cutting off funding for many of the most experienced health care providers who have chosen to prioritize quality reproductive-health services and counseling over funding that restricts care and censors information.

When in place, the negative impacts of the global gag rule have been broad and severe: health services have been dismantled in a number of communities; clinics that provided a range of reproductive, maternal, and child health care, including HIV testing and counseling, were forced to close; outreach efforts to hard to reach populations were eliminated; and access to contraceptives was severely limited, resulting in more unintended pregnancies and more unsafe abortions. Here is the testimony of one organization that experienced the impact of the global gag rule when it was last in place:

“After refusing the terms of the gag rule in 2001, at Family Health Options Kenya we lost a significant amount of funding from USAID with serious and damaging effects on our ability to provide crucial reproductive health and family planning services. We were forced to close six clinics, all of which provided critical services to poor and underserved populations in urban, peri- urban and rural areas including family planning, voluntary counseling and testing for HIV, management of sexually transmitted infections, post-abortion care and maternal and child health services. Following the closure of these clinics in 2005, at least 9,000 people – primarily women and children – were left with little or no access to health care.” – FHOK, 2013

Countries around the world are making significant progress in improving women’s health and bringing back this harmful policy would undermine that momentum. Developing and donor countries alike are stepping up to prioritize and make tangible headway in closing the gap on access to modern family planning through increased funding and better policies. This momentum, which includes global partnerships like Family Planning 2020, builds on the essential foundation of U.S. investments in this sector. A reinstatement of the gag rule would seriously hinder the effectiveness of U.S. global health investments and the growing global progress that we, as a global community, have made in expanding access to family planning for couples worldwide and in reducing maternal mortality.

The U.S. should be a leader when it comes to promoting democracy, women’s health, and human rights around the world. U.S. foreign aid should never be used as a tool to limit women’s access to health care or to censor free speech. Organizations should not be disqualified from receiving U.S. assistance because they use their own funds to provide health services and information that are legal in their home country and legal in the U.S. Supporters of women’s health and free speech must oppose the harmful global gag rule and we call on Congress to reject all efforts to again impose this policy on women around the world.

Endorsing Organizations:

  1. Advocates for Youth
  2. AIDS Foundation of Chicago
  3. AIDS United
  4. American Association of University Women (AAUW)
  5. American Civil Liberties Union
  6. American Humanist Association
  7. American Jewish World Service
  8. amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research)
  9. Amnesty International USA
  10. AVAC
  11. Black Women’s Health Imperative
  12. CARE USA
  13. Catholics for Choice
  14. Center for Biological Diversity
  15. Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)
  16. Center for Reproductive Rights
  17. Center for Women Policy Studies
  18. Disciple Public Witness; Disciples of Christ
  19. Disciples for Choice
  20. Disciples Justice Action Network
  21. Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
  22. EngenderHealth
  23. Family Care International
  24. Feminist Majority
  25. Global Doctors for Choice
  26. Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA)
  27. Healthy Teen Network
  28. Institute for Science and Human Values
  29. International Center for Research on Women
  30. International Planned Parenthood Federation
  31. International Planned Parenthood/Western Hemisphere Region
  32. International Women’s Health Coalition
  33. IntraHealth International
  34. Ipas
  35. John Snow, Inc.
  36. JWI
  37. Lutheran Women’s Caucus
  38. Management Sciences for Health
  39. Marie Stopes International-US
  40. Medical Students for Choice
  41. Methodist Federation for Social Action
  42. NARAL Pro-Choice America
  43. National Abortion Federation
  44. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
  45. National Center for Lesbian Rights
  46. National Council of Jewish Women
  47. National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association
  48. National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
  49. National LGBTQ Task Force
  50. National Organization for Women
  51. National Partnership for Women & Families
  52. National Women’s Law Center
  53. PAI
  54. Partners for Development
  55. Pathfinder International
  56. Physicians for Reproductive Health
  57. Planned Parenthood Federation of America
  58. Population Connection Action Fund
  59. Population Council
  60. Population Institute
  61. Population Services International
  62. Positive Women’s Network – USA
  63. Religious Institute
  64. Reproductive Health Technologies Project
  65. Sierra Club
  66. SisterLove, Inc.
  67. Society for Humanistic Judaism
  68. The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
  69. Union for Reform Judaism
  70. Unitarian Universalist Association
  71. Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation
  72. United Methodist General Board of Church & Society
  73. URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
  74. WIN (Women’s Information Network)
  75. Women of Reform Judaism
  76. Women Thrive Worldwide
  77. Women’s Refugee Commission
  78. Women’s Research & Education Institute
More AHA in the News

Latest news from TheHumanist.com

Subscribe Today

How Overturning Roe Will Impact More Than Just Abortions

Emily Newman

Fighting White Christian Nationalism at #AHACON22

Nicole Carr

The Abortion Debate Isn’t About Life; It’s About Control

Megan B. Wells

Building Humanist Communities at #AHACON22

Nicole Carr

What Would a Humanist Do? Tough and Necessary Conversations

TheHumanist.com Staff
American Humanist Association
1821 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-238-9088
800-837-3792 (toll-free)
202-238-9003 (fax)
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About the American Humanist Association
  • Are You Humanist?
  • What We Do
  • Key Issues
  • Board of Directors
  • Staff
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Involved
  • Report a Violation or Discrimination
  • Press Kit
  • Local Groups
  • Education Center
  • Become a Humanist Celebrant
  • Job and Internship Opportunities
  • Humanist Action Headquarters
  • Sign Up for AHA Emails
  • Privacy Policy
  • Records Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us

©2022 American Humanist Association. All Rights Reserved.

Combined Federal CampaignIndependent Charities of AmericaGuideStarCharity NavigatorGuidestar 2021 Platinum Seal of Transparency