Global Dispatch June 09

June 2009 — Volume 3

Dear Friends,

It’s been an eventful 100 days — and then some — for women’s health advocates. We’ve seen President Barack Obama rescind the global gag rule and pave the way for increasing funding for UNFPA and USAID, and we heard Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton affirm the links between women’s reproductive rights and broader diplomacy at the Planned Parenthood National Conference in Houston. We hope there will be more to come as global women’s health advocates unite to push for $1 billion in funding for global family planning.

As we advocate for health care reform in the U.S., let’s remember the millions of women and their families worldwide who are also struggling to access even the most basic of health care services. With the change in political climate, there is renewed opportunity for Planned Parenthood to shape the conversation around such issues as global development, poverty reduction, reproductive rights, and the health and rights of young people.

We are delighted to rejoin the community of international women’s health activists in Washington, DC, with the help of Jeff Meer, who has joined our staff as our new director of international advocacy. Jeff has a long and distinguished background in international development and assistance, which includes having served as a career foreign service officer with the State Department with postings overseas and in Washington. While at the State Department, Jeff also was involved with preparations for three key UN meetings, including the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. Jeff works out of the PPFA Public Policy Division in close cooperation with the PPFA International Division. Welcome, Jeff! Read on for some recent updates from our program.

A happy and healthy summer to you all and, as always, thank you for your continued support!

Veena

Veena Siddharth
Vice President of International Programs
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

CHRISTY TURLINGTON FILMS PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN GUATEMALA

Christy Turlington Burns, the model and activist on women’s health, and her film production team just returned from visiting our Guatemala program, where they documented Planned Parenthood in action, supporting countrywide efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates. During the birth of her first child, Christy suffered a complication that, while very treatable in developed countries, could have been fatal in the developing world. Christy began thinking about women around the world who don't have the same access to quality health care and learned that hundreds of thousands of women die or are injured each year as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Through documenting the groundbreaking work in Guatemala to prevent unsafe abortion — a leading cause of death and injury among pregnant women in developing countries — Christy and the crew were able to capture stories that convey the experiences of millions of women around the world. In addition to highlighting Planned Parenthood's work in Guatemala, the film features several promising maternal health programs and services in Bangladesh, Tanzania, and New York. It is expected to be released in Spring 2010, and we can't wait to see it! Check out Christy’s website for more information, and we'll keep you posted!

A VICTORY AND A FAREWELL IN THE ASIA OFFICE

For almost 40 years, Planned Parenthood has worked to serve the reproductive health and rights needs of women and their families throughout Asia. Yet the current financial crisis has made it increasingly difficult for us to do so. Over the coming year, we will be working with our partners on the ground to phase out our family planning and youth work in India, Nepal, and Thailand. However, we will continue our post-abortion care work in the Philippines. It is with the deepest gratitude that we bid a fond farewell to our Asia regional staff and our tremendous partners region-wide, who are all truly committed and impassioned reproductive rights activists. We look forward to the day when we can begin supporting critical reproductive health services in Asia again.

We leave on a high note, however, as we celebrate with our partner Forum for Women, Law, and Development (FWLD) a victory for safe abortion access in Nepal. FWLD, along with the Center for Reproductive Rights, filed a lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of a poor Nepali woman who was unable to access safe abortion services due to the unwieldy cost, thus being forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy. As a result, in May the Nepal Supreme Court ordered the Nepali government to enact a comprehensive abortion law that would guarantee safe and affordable access to abortion for all women. An admirable decision that will save and protect the lives of many women!

PLANNED PARENTHOOD HOSTS EVENT ON UNSAFE ABORTION

Last week, along with Ipas and the International Women’s Health Coalition, we hosted a film screening of Not Yet Rain, which explores abortion in Ethiopia through the voices of women who have faced the challenge of finding safe abortion services. Following the screening was a thought-provoking panel discussion with experts in the field (including our own Africa Regional Director Dr. Sarah Onyango) on the issue of unsafe abortion throughout the Africa region, and what types of advocacy and service delivery strategies are being employed to counteract the terrible toll that unsafe abortion is taking on women’s lives.

In Ethiopia, abortion is legal to preserve a woman’s health and in other critical circumstances, yet many women meet obstacles when trying to access abortion services. Planned Parenthood proudly supports the training of local providers in safe abortion services in Ethiopia, and along with our partners promotes safe abortion services that are affordable and accessible, especially for the country’s poorest and most rural women.

Learn more about PPFA's international work or support our programs worldwide.