Abstaining from Reality Debuts on Capitol Hill and Beyond

PAI’s latest short documentary criticizing the U.S. government’s abstinence-only policy—Abstaining from Reality: U.S. Restrictions on HIV Prevention—made its congressional debut on the evening of May 15 in the U.S. Capitol.  Congressmen Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Shays (R-CT), Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) addressed the large gathering of Hill staff, NGOs and PAI board members about why the funding earmark for abstinence-only needs to be removed and pledged to make that happen.  Kenyan NGO leader and advocate Rosemarie Muganda-Onyando, who is featured in the documentary, shared her perspective of how the policy undermines comprehensive HIV prevention and deprives young people of vital information needed to protect themselves.

Abstaining from Reality traveled to New York two days later for a screening in Tribeca Theaters with PAI partners International Women’s Health Coalition, SEICUS, and amfAR.  HIV/AIDS activist and actress Gloria Reuben was on hand to underscore the vulnerabilities of women of color to the disease. The following week, the documentary was screened in San Francisco at Zeum in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, San Francisco AIDS Foundation and WORLD. Both events were well-attended by activists, donors and academics, and resulted in print and radio coverage of Abstaining.

From there, the documentary made one final stop in Ottawa, Canada, for a screening with parliamentarians, NGOs and representatives from several African high commissions, sponsored by Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD).  This time, Juliet Awuor, whose story Abstaining from Reality recounts, was able to participate in the panel discussion and give voice to the fact that she and millions of others “are the ones who live these policies…and I want lawmakers to know and understand how the decisions they make affect our choices, our lives.” (Juliet applied for and was denied a U.S. visa, but was able to secure a Canadian visa within 24 hours.)  Rosemarie implored African governments to get serious about investing in sexual and reproductive health and rights as a core development strategy for the continent, which would go a long way toward combating HIV prevalence among women and youth, reducing maternal mortality, and improving gender equality.

In addition to the Abstaining tour, IPPF and Dr. Joana Nerquaye-Tetteh, former ED of Planned Parenthood Assn. of Ghana (retired), are coming to DC to engage with PAI on Global Gag Rule advocacy (June 15-22) in lead up to House of Reps vote on supplies exemption contained in FY08 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The measure is expected to reach the House floor the week of June 18 or June 25. Dr. Nerquaye-Tetteh will be meeting with key congressional offices and committee staff to share the PPAG's experience with refusing the terms of the GGR, especially on women's and couples' access to contraceptives and family planning. (Also accompanying her are Valerie DeFillipo and Paul Bell of IPPF-London office.) Dr. Nerquaye-Tetteh is also slated to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee when it reschedules its hearing (probably in Sept '07) about the GGR and its impact in developing countries. PAI has worked with Dr. Nerquaye-Tetteh and PPAG over the years, documenting the harm of GGR on their programs and clients (link to Ghana case study), as well as prepared joint presentations about contraceptive shortages and the consequences of the GGR in Ghana (Canadian Society for International Health annual conference, 2004).