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| #SheDecides |
The SheDecides movement emerged as a
response to the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule (GGR) – a US policy which
has devastating effects for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of
women and girls across the globe. The GGR (also known as the Mexico City
Policy) was first introduced in 1984 under the presidency of Ronald Reagan. In
January 2017, an expanded version was signed by President Donald Trump.
Importantly, this latest version of the GGR applies to all global health funds
provided by the US government (where previous versions were concerned with
family planning funds). In effect, the GGR ensures that non-US organisations
providing information, referrals for abortion, safe abortion services, and
engaging in activism to improve abortion legislation, are banned from receiving
US funds. Moreover, the latest version prevents organisations from using
their own or other people’s funds for these same purposes.
The detrimental effects of previous
versions of the Global Gag Rule have been well documented including: prevention
of access to contraception and safe abortions (for both women and girls) even
in cases where rights of access are legally secured; hindered HIV prevention
efforts, health clinics being forced into closure; obstructed access to health
within rural communities; and the silencing of those who wish to speak out
against laws that prevent women and girls from accessing safe and effective
health care. The damaging impact the latest version of the GGR will also be
considerable. In effect, organisations will be forced to choose between
receiving funds from the US government (the largest funder of sexual and
reproductive health programmes) and providing a full range of vital sexual and
reproductive health programmes and services.
Initiated by the Dutch Minister, Lilianne Ploumen, SheDecides
asserts that women of all ages should be able to safely exercise their
right to decide what to do with their bodies. SheDecides unites
those who believe that all women should have access to sexual and reproductive
education and information, modern contraception, and safe abortion services,
and should be able to pursue healthy, pleasurable sexual lives – free from
judgement, stigma, coercion, and harm. On 2 March 2017, the first SheDecides conference
was held in Brussels. More than 50 governments attended the conference, along
with 450 participants including youth leaders, parliamentarians,
representatives from UN agencies, NGOs, private foundations, and the private
sector. This gathering enabled global leaders to raise their voices in support
of the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls, and pledge their
commitment to the protection, provision, promotion, and enhancement of these
rights.
One year later, various individuals and organisations from
across the globe will mobilise on SheDecides
Day (2 March 2018) in support of the principles of the SheDecides
movement. Adding our support to this movement, the Critical Studies in
Sexualities and Reproduction (CSSR) research unit will be hosting a panel
discussion that will examine the impact of this policy within the South African
context. In particular, discussion will explore the impact of the GGR for individual
women, and civil society organizations working in the fields of sexuality,
reproduction, and human rights in South Africa. Panellists will include Siviwe
Mhlana (NALSU), Dumisa Sofika (CSSR), and Yanela Ndabula (CSSR). Discussion
will be chaired by Catriona Macleod. We hope that activists, leaders, and
supporters from the UCKAR and Grahamstown community will join us in this global
day of action for the SheDecides
movement, and encourage others to stand up, speak out, and take action to
challenge those forces that would deny women and girls the right to make
decisions that are theirs, and theirs alone.
This article was written for and originally published on the CSSR website and is accessible at https://www.ru.ac.za/criticalstudies/latestnews/thecssrresearchunitaddsitssupporttotheshedecidesmovement.html
Posted by Sarah-Ann Moore
CSSR Masters Student
