To: George Bush, President of the United States
Stop Bush from Rolling Back Women's Reproductive Rights!
"As supporters of women’s rights worldwide, we are deeply disturbed by the stand taken by the US administration at the recent Population and Development Conference in Bangkok held in early November 2002.
The US has threatened to withdraw from the Cairo Programme of Action of 1994 unless the words reproductive health services and reproductive rights are taken out or changed. This is a shocking development which is a threat to women’s rigths and women’s health world wide.
We demand that the Cairo Program of Action that has been endorsed by 179 nations be upheld.
Reproductive health services and reproductive rights are essential human rights. Reproductive rights and reproductive health services are integral to the Cairo Program of Action.
If the US breaks their commitment to the United Nations and to the world community, there will be disastrous consequences for women in all parts of the world who are in need of safe and effective contraceptive and abortion information and services.
The position that the Bush administration has taken sets back the efforts of women’s organizations by several decades and needs to be resisted.
We urge you to make your own statement of protest and send it to the US administration, to the UN and to sign our petition on line."
You can send a message of protest to :
George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov
Dick Cheney: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
And the US Speaker of the House, Mr. Hastert: speaker@mail.house.gov
The petitions will be presented to:
Mr George Bush, President of the United States
Mr Koffi Annan, Secretary General of the UN
and Ms Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, head of the UNFPA
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
