US Abortion Restrictions on Foreign Assistance and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Summary
Since 1973, US abortion restrictions on foreign assistance have restricted the provision of abortion services and stifled abortion-related speech around the world. Today, these restrictions plainly contravene the object and purpose of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“CAT” or “Convention”). These restrictions have no exceptions and routinely deny women around the world access to needed abortion services, even in cases of rape, life endangerment and incest as well as where legal under domestic or international law. They apply to abortion-related speech and interfere with the ability of other states to comply with their obligations under CAT by curtailing efforts to reform domestic abortions laws to meet
human rights standards.
Accordingly, the Global Justice Center urges this Committee to ask the United States Government (“USG”) to provide information with respect to how its abortion restrictions on foreign assistance can be reconciled with its obligations under CAT. Eight years of progress on human rights issues, especially on torture, is now at risk. It is crucial that the USG be asked to account for the full scope of its violations under international law.