USA – Democrats introduce bill to repeal anti-abortion rule for US overseas aid

Critics of the Helms amendment, which currently prevents the use of aid to fund abortion services abroad, say it is ‘deeply rooted in racism’

Liz Ford

Wed 29 Jul
2020

The first bill to repeal a US law preventing aid from funding abortion services
overseas was introduced to congress on Wednesday.

Democratic congressswoman Jan Schakowsky said the Helms amendment, a policy
introduced in 1973, was “deeply rooted in racism” and must be replaced to allow
US money to be used to support safe abortion services worldwide.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/29/democrats-introduce-bill-to-repeal-anti-abortion-rule-for-us-overseas-aid


USA – Rights Advocates Decry ‘Unconscionable’ State Dept Decision to Cut Women’s Rights From Annual Report

Rights Advocates Decry 'Unconscionable' State Dept Decision to Cut Women's Rights From Annual Report
"This development is a transparent attempt by the Trump administration to not only de-prioritize reproductive rights, but effectively erase them from the broader conversation on human rights."

by Julia Conley, staff writer
Published on Thursday, February 22, 2018
by Common Dreams

Human rights groups on Thursday denounced the State Department's plans to re-frame its upcoming global human rights report, paring down its focus on women's reproductive rights and discrimination—saying the decision is clear evidence that the rights of marginalized groups are insignificant to the Trump administration.

“Reproductive rights are human rights," said Tarah Demant, Amnesty International USA's director of gender, sexuality, and identity, in a statement. "This development is a transparent attempt by the Trump administration to not only de-prioritize reproductive rights, but effectively erase them from the broader conversation on human rights. We must not let this attack on basic rights go unchallenged."

Continued: https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/22/rights-advocates-decry-unconscionable-state-dept-decision-cut-womens-rights-annual-0#