Appropriating Women's Lives
October 1, 2007
While today technically marks the first day of the government's fiscal year, the budget is still tied up in Congress's lengthy appropriations process. Looming over the new budget is the President's threat to veto a number of appropriations bills because of disagreements over funding and policy issues. Among those issues he opposes are provisions in the State-Foreign Operation Appropriations (foreign assistance) bill that repeal the destructive Global Gag Rule and expand access to contraceptives in poor nations. Tragically, the President has vowed to veto the entire $34 billion foreign assistance bill -- containing critical funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, humanitarian and peacekeeping programs in Darfur, and famine relief -- because of these pro- family planning provisions.
Family Planning is Critical to HIV Prevention
September 24, 2007
Peter Piot, head of UNAIDS, made the rounds in DC last week discussing how the global community can achieve the internationally agreed upon target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. His message has been clear: Without a massive scale-up of prevention programs, we will fall far short of addressing the growing feminization of this disease. PAI welcomes Dr. Piot and his salient message. Now consider the future of this epidemic in countries where men and women desire to protect themselves and plan the size of their families but do not have access to services and supplies-especially condoms and contraceptives-which would make that desire a reality.
Challenge to the Global Fund: Save Lives by Including Reproductive Health
September 17, 2007
HIV/AIDS is an issue of tremendous concern to the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) community. This shouldn't be news, but it bears repeating. And therefore, SRH initiatives are key to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. While stemming the tide of new HIV infections, these programs also curb child and maternal mortality, prevent the spread of other sexually transmitted infections and alleviate global poverty. So, why isn't SRHR a core component of every global initiative to fight HIV/AIDS? It should be. PAI has joined many in challenging the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to make it so.
Congress Votes to Repeal Global Gag Rule
September 12, 2007
Last week, despite President Bush's veto threat, the Senate passed the FY 2008 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (by a vote of 81-12) that includes significant provisions overturning destructive policies on family planning and HIV/AIDS.
When You CARE Enough to Send the Very Best -- U.S. Policy That Is
September 10, 2007
It's extremely rare for an organization to refuse funding, let alone $45 million. But that is exactly what CARE, a leading international relief organization, did last month when they refused U.S. government funding for food aid. According to a recent General Accountability Office report, the U.S. food aid program is seriously flawed. CARE agreed, finding that it hindered the development work they were trying to accomplish in the developing world. By challenging a policy they viewed as detrimental to their mission, CARE has put a spotlight on potential flaws in this U.S. policy a spotlight that may even generate a change in policy.
Mr. President: Read the Bill!
July 30, 2007
Members of Congress head back to their districts this month with the threat of a Presidential veto of the 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill casting a dark cloud over the good work they've done. Why a possible veto? It's all because of a provision that exempts U.S.-donated contraceptives and condoms from the restrictions of the Global Gag Rule. Who would have thought that helping life-saving contraceptives and condoms get to the people who want and need them most would be reason to veto $34.5 billion in foreign assistance?
Heed the Alarm: Scale up HIV Prevention
July 23, 2007
For every person who began antiretroviral therapy in 2006, six people were newly infected, according to a new report from the Global HIV Prevention Working Group. Without a major scale-up of HIV prevention programs, using existing prevention tools, 60 million more HIV infections are projected to occur by 2015. The best of the best have confirmed what many knew to be true: Only by significantly ramping up HIV prevention programs can we curb the scourge of HIV/AIDS. If the world does not listen, and new HIV infections continue to grow as they are, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves. The members of this group are the most knowledgeable experts on HIV prevention in the world and they have rung an alarm bell that world leaders must heed in order to put an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
It Takes Two to Tango: Men as Partners in Reproductive Health
July 17, 2007
Too often, it is women who make-and disproportionately bear the brunt of-reproductive health decisions on behalf of a couple. Women are the ones who risk dying from complications in pregnancy and childbirth. And if a mother dies, her daughters-not her sons-tend to be the ones who leave school to care for their families. Sadly, men more often hold the power in decision making, both at a personal and at a political level. PAI urges men to be the strongest allies in improving the health and well-being of women-whether as partners or politicians-by engaging in the fight to save the lives of their wives, sisters, daughters, mothers and other women in their community.
Sex in the Cities - A Stronger Case Than Ever for Reproductive Health Services
July 9, 2007
With further Senate action on the appropriations bill exempting contraceptives from the Global Gag Rule not likely until September, this is the perfect moment to highlight the importance of increasing access to contraceptives, which is crucial to global development and the fight against poverty.
Abstinence Isn't Enough: Protecting Married Women from HIV
July 2, 2007
When you are married, you do not have the right to say no' -- Skytt Nzambu
These are the words of Skytt Nzambu, a Kenyan woman who was infected with HIV by her unfaithful husband. Tragically, Skytt is only one of an increasing number of HIV infections that are occurring within married couples, according to information reported at last week's HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting in Rwanda.
