Today, March 8, is International Women's Day, a day to focus on women's social and economic progress. In honor of this day, Planned Parenthood Global has launched a new animated video and online petition called Health Has No Borders, making the case for robust investments in women's health around the world.
In our country and globally, women's health and rights have greatly advanced in the past century. Yet huge disparities remain.
In Ethiopia, where my son was born, one in three women wants to plan or delay motherhood, but can't. And in a country like Ethiopia, an unintended pregnancy can put a woman's life at risk. Ethiopia has the fifth-highest maternal death rate in the world; each year one in 27 women dies from pregnancy-related causes and more than 50,000 women are treated in health facilities for complications from unsafe abortion.
The problem is massive -- around the world, 215 million women want to avoid pregnancy but lack access to modern contraception -- but we know the solution. When women have the information and services they need, they are able to delay pregnancy, stay in school, pursue meaningful careers, and become leaders in society.
Unfortunately, opponents of birth control in Congress want to restrict access and put politics before women's health. Over and over again they have tried to slash funding for and impose restrictions on family planning programs in the U.S. and overseas. In the U.S., they have fought against co-pay-free insurance coverage of contraception. On the international side, they have proposed cuts to foreign aid, tried to eliminate the U.S. contribution to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and attempted to impose dangerous restrictions on governments and organizations overseas that accept our help.
The U.S. is a leading funder of international family planning and has been for 40 years. The president's budget requests for the next year stay true to these ideals by protecting support for these programs overseas. Now it's up to Congress to pass a budget with this funding intact. And up to you to tell Congress that you support strong investments in women's health and the elimination of disparities everywhere. When it comes to health, there should be no borders.
Health apparently does have some boundaries after all.
Are you saying women in the U.S. should be satisfied with what they have and ignore the ever increasing attempts to limit health care because at least we don't stone 'em? That as long as we are not the worst example on the face of the earth, women have no right to fight back? That people, regardless of gender, in this country have better and more readily available health care than the majority of the world (interesting that you mention only Muslim countries), so it's OK to cut back on women's health care?
Being better than the worst is hardly a worthy goal in any area.
What cuts have been made and by whom, specifically to women's healthcare? May I assume you are talking about "free" healthcare because no American is barred from health care now, even among the poorest.
I suspect that since the abortion issue has become a progressively losing proposition for you, you have turned to "women's health" and "contraception" as a plan B.
Take all the health care you want but when it becomes an issue where personal responsibility is ignored and where you want the taxpayer to pay for your sexual activities we are opposing you. Your health is your own responsibility.
Planned Parenthood can't be classified as a health organization.
If only the other side would actually consider them.
I am opposed to funding PP with government dollars (and I mean even in this country). I believe any assistance should be through private donations. I could probably tick off other "health related" causes that do not receive assistance from the government that are even more important to other people.
I believe we give to other countries for humanitarian reasons - food, water, clothing, building - and at some point the aid has to have limits.
People here are unemployed and can't put food on the table or a roof over their family's head, we have people dealing with cancers and other deadly illnesses. Pay for that before worrying about contraception here and around the world..
Women ought to be paid same as for men as teachers, pilots,secretaries executives and Senators.
But unfortunately a young woman with running clothes is not advised to do that sport in certain bad neighborhoods. Of course we cannot expect all men to be " gentle men" not drunk or drugged.
So ladies read my post, and do not get angry. It will be long long time( perhaps never) when women are safe and happy in all jobs, where men are the majority.I believe God made us different for a reason, and most who read my writing understood.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-cronk/war-on-women_b_1324775.html