Janet Benshoof, GJC President, responds to an article in the NY Times, “Enslaving Young Girls, the Islamic State Builds a Vast System of Rape” (“State of Terror” series, front page, Aug. 14)".
When will the US uphold the principles of the Geneva Conventions for women raped in war?
Today marks the 66th anniversary of the United States signing the Geneva Conventions. Yet, due to US policy, women and girls raped in war are still denied their right under international law to all necessary medical care, including access to safe abortions. This includes the women and girls brutally raped and forcibly impregnated by Boko Haram in Nigeria.
This summer, lawyers from the Global Justice Center traveled to Nigeria in support of our new Gender, Genocide and the Responsibility to Rescue project. We learned that many are concerned about the immediate needs of victims of violence—food, shelter, and medical care—this includes access to abortion services.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 7, 2015
[NEW YORK, NY]– Pressure is mounting on the White House to lift the abortion ban on US foreign aid for girls and women raped in armed conflicts. An international coalition of human rights, legal, medical and religious groups have signed a letter to President Obama urging him to issue an executive order lifting the ban and affirming the rights of female war rape victims to comprehensive medical care, including abortion, under the Geneva Conventions.
Today, the Global Justice Center and over 55 human rights, medical, and legal organizations throughout the world, including in conflict countries, sent a letter to President Obama urging him to lift the abortion restrictions on US foreign aid. The abortion ban for women and girls raped in armed conflict violates their rights as guaranteed by the Geneva Conventions and has dangerous, even fatal, consequences.
The clock is ticking. President Obama has less than two months left to respond to the UPR recommendations. The Global Justice Center urges the President to overturn the ban so that U.S. aid will serve its purpose, lives will be saved, and suffering will be alleviated.
Read the joint letter to President Obama here.
Check out an article by Akila Radhakrishnan, Vice-President and Legal Director of GJC, and Kristina Kallas, volunteer attorney at GJC, in which they talk about the rescue of Nigerian women and girls from terrorist group Boko Haram and the continuing denial of medical care that they require.
