Media

For Immediate Release:
September 1, 2004

Contact: Adrienne Verrilli in NYC at 212-819-9770 or
William Smith in London at 44-20-78346655

NGO's in London Express Solidarity with Rest of World on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

New York, NY - This week, leading non-governmental sexual and reproductive health and rights organizations will gather in London for the Global Roundtable: Countdown 2015 - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All. These organizations will use this week to analyze the challenges, controversies, and opportunities that have developed since the 1994 Programme of Action (PoA) was adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) by more than 179 countries in Cairo, Egypt.

"This agreement marked the first time the world recognized the critical role that adolescents and women's sexual and reproductive health and rights played in reducing HIV transmission, unintended pregnancy, maternal and child mortality, exploitive sexual practices, and poverty," said William Smith, director of public policy of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS).

The Global Roundtable will focus on the complete reversal in the role of the U.S. government from major leader in advancing this rights-based agreement to central opponent of the PoA. The Bush Administration has joined forces with the Vatican and conservative Catholic and Muslim countries in an attempt to undo the agreement's support for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for young people. Instead these conservative forces favor unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs as the primary strategy to fight unintended pregnancy and the spread of HIV.

"In the 1990's, the United States was a leader in supporting this agreement. Now, under President Bush, the U.S. has seized every opportunity to undermine the Programme of Action and its support for access to sexual health information, family planning, and safe, legal abortion," Smith continued.

"The policies and actions of the Bush Administration threaten to undo much of the progress the global public health community has made over the past 10 years," said Smith. "With opposition such as the Bush Administration growing bolder, it is important that advocates worldwide stand strong. We know that comprehensive reproductive health services and education programs are the most effective way to improve the lives of all people," Smith continued.

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