The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
July 21, 2011

House Measure Would Restore Global Gag Rule 
--------------------------------------------



Human Rights Watch is urging lawmakers to oppose a pending measure that
would restore the Global Gag Rule banning U.S. funding for any
international healthcare organizations that perform abortions or
advocates for the legalization of abortion, even if those activities are
funded by non-U.S. money. The Global Gag Rule was seen by many as a
major global barrier to access to crucial women’s health services
before President Obama lifted it upon taking office. In a statement,
Meghan Rhoad, a women’s rights researcher at Human rights Watch said:
"The Global Gag Rule has exacted a terrible cost in damage to the health
of millions of women and the free speech rights of people around the
world. ... It should be considered a shameful piece of past foreign
policy, not a model for the future."



.