FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  March 8 2017

Washington, DC – Today, on International Women’s Day and the day of the Women’s Strike, the Global Justice Center joins over 40 other partner organizations in protesting against Trump’s reinstated and expanded Global Gag Rule.

The protest takes place just a week after the international “She Decides” Conference in Brussels raised $181 million dollars to combat the deadly impact of the Global Gag Rule. The Gag Rule requires that foreign non-governmental organizations certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning as a condition of receiving US global health assistance funds. While previously the Gag rule only applied to foreign family planning assistance, Trump’s Global Gag Rule censors all global health assistance–which could be up to $10.3 billion dollars.

“The leadership shown by the international community to stand up for the rights of women and girls and acknowledge the centrality of abortion access to women’s equality is inspiring; they know that women’s lives are at stake,” says Akila Radhakrishnan, Vice-President and Legal Director of the Global Justice Center. “US anti-choice legislators have long used foreign aid as a weapon to dictate abortion policy abroad for years. Trump’s Global Gag Rule is a dangerous extension of US policy that for decades has violated the rights of women and girls around the world.”

The protest includes a march to the White House, where there will be a rally featuring speakers including Ilyse Hogue, President of Naral Pro-Choice USA, and Eve Ensler, Founder of One Billion Rising and V-Day. Tomorrow, the Global Justice Center’s President will brief European parliamentarians and governments on the impact of the Gag Rule and what needs to be done to ensure that women’s access to necessary medical care, including abortion, remains protected over the next 4 years and beyond.

“After the inauguration, millions of women came together around the world and raised their voices against Trump’s sexist and dangerous policies,” says Janet Benshoof, President of the Global Justice Center. “Today, women are coming together again to reiterate that we will not be gagged or silenced and the world will hear our voices.”

For more information contact:

Stephanie Olszewski (New York), Global Justice Center, solszewski@globaljusticecenter.net +1.212.725.6530 ext. 211