News
Today the Global Justice Center publishes, "Q&A: How the U.S. "No Abortion" Prohibition on Humanitarian Aid Violates the Rights of Women Raped in Armed Conflict."
The Global Justice Center writes:
The Global Justice Center's (GJC) August 12th Campaign seeks to address the near universal failure to provide the option of abortion to girls and women raped and impregnated in armed conflict. This discriminatory treatment of women rape victims is a serious breach of the laws of war, including the Geneva Conventions. Named for the anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Conventions, the August 12th Campaign has three goals:To ensure that all States make clear public statements, such as the one already made by Norway, affirming that common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions requires the inclusion of abortion as part of comprehensive medical care for rape victims in humanitarian aid settings.
To ensure that all donor countries require their humanitarian aid be kept separate from US aid, which prohibits abortion speech and services. Further, that donor countries monitor medical services provided for rape victims in conflict areas to ensure that they have access to abortions.
To ensure that President Obama lifts the "no abortion" clause put on US humanitarian aid directed for girls and women raped in armed conflict thereby affirming US compliance with common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which requires non-discriminatory medical treatments for all persons "wounded and sick" in armed conflict.
This Q&A explains why denying abortions to girls and women raped in armed conflict violates international humanitarian law (IHL), including the Geneva Conventions, and how the abortion ban attached to all US humanitarian aid has influenced the treatment standards for impregnated victims of war rape globally.
To read the Q&A click here.