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Friend, This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the inspiring people serving on the frontlines of reproductive health care. People like Melvine Ouyo, a reproductive health nurse from Kenya. Melvine managed the Kibera clinic of Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK). The clinic closed its doors after Donald Trump imposed a sweeping version of the Global Gag Rule in 2017. The Global Gag Rule prevents foreign clinics from receiving U.S. aid unless they agree not provide abortion services, including counseling and referrals, even if they do so with their own non-U.S. money. This forces providers to choose between giving patients comprehensive reproductive health information and services or continuing to receive U.S. aid—which, for many clinics, makes up the majority of their funding. Like many other providers in the developing world, FHOK chose to continue serving its patients with fact-based, medically accurate reproductive health care. FHOK decided to forgo U.S. funding rather than comply with the Global Gag Rule’s onerous restrictions. Melvine explained: I am a medical professional. I took an oath to save lives. I provide comprehensive care. To allow a funder to dictate the services I can or cannot provide would be malpractice. Melvine now works closely with us to pass the Global HER Act, which would permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule. We’re making headway, with 40,000 advocates who have engaged in our #Fight4HER campaign with Population Connection Action Fund since 2017. International Women’s Day honors women’s economic, social, political, and cultural achievements. Just imagine how many more women could reach their highest potential with unfettered access to safe, affordable family planning options. You’re instrumental to helping dismantle barriers, like Trump’s Global Gag Rule, that prevent women from accessing reproductive health care in the developing world. Thank you! With high hopes,
Shauna Scherer |
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