An attack on women's right to choose
About a couple of months ago, Planned Parenthood, (PP) the leading organisation well known for providing women with reproductive health services in the United States and all over the world, came under a series of vicious attacks by anti-abortion extremist groups that started a relentless smear campaign to stop its funding and permanently shut down all their offices in the U.S. PP is no stranger to strong opposition that includes -- arson, bombing, violence and death threats to its providers ever since it started its journey of helping women take control of their own bodies and critical family planning decisions in 1916. The current battle against the organisation, however, seems to be more planned and hostile than the previous attempts.
It all started when an anti-abortion group, under the guise of a fake medical research company named Center for Medical Progress, released some undercover videos showing PP employees engaged in a discussion with prospective buyers to sell fetal tissues and organs for profit. The group claims their objective was to expose PP's illegal business, an allegation PP strongly denies. Legally, PP can donate fetal tissue for research in only three states and can charge a small fee for preservation and transportation purposes. After those videos came out, all hell broke loose. Most of the anti-abortion, pro-life activists belong to the conservative Republican Party -- who had been vehemently against women's health care providers like Planned Parenthood for many years. And they jumped at this opportunity with renewed antagonism to cut off all federal funding and close their programmes for good. It is important to note, PP gets approximately, $500 million annually from the government for family planning and women's health related services. However, federal money by law cannot be used for abortion services.
According to media reports last month, the undercover videos were heavily edited and taken out of context to make a point against the organisation's mission. PP commissioned an investigation into the much-publicised "sting" videos and submitted the report to the Congress on August 27th. According to the report, the videos had missing footage which led to the distortion and misrepresentation of facts. In this ongoing heated debate, President Obama's government firmly stands with Planned Parenthood and is against defunding the organisation.
The fact that this situation is playing out in a country like the United States -- a country, which has taken the lead when it comes to women's rights, is all the more alarming for women's movements everywhere else in the world. If Planned Parenthood -- an organisation which has served women of mainly underserved communities for 100 years can encounter such fierce protests -- what will happen to women's health care in developing countries? Planned Parenthood or Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is not an organisation that is only important in the U.S. -- through its international division, Planned Parenthood Global, has been serving in other countries by working with local advocates, medical service providers and community leaders for more than 40 years. PP Global works directly in several African and Latin American countries, but through its partner organisations and affiliates everywhere in the world, it provides invaluable support to countries like Bangladesh, India and other developing nations in Asia as well. One of the most significant work the organisation does is to support efforts in developing countries to change the social, legal, and political viewpoint regarding access to comprehensive reproductive health care.
Simply stated, if PP loses funding in the country of its origin -- the U.S., this would inevitably result in losing U.S. funding for women's health care programmes worldwide. Just like the "Global Gag Rule" (first imposed by President Reagan's administration, then later re-imposed by President George Bush's government) prohibited U.S. aid to be used for abortion services in foreign countries; this latest decision to defund PP would have a similar affect on maternal health care in the deprived developing world. (Note: When President Obama came to power, he lifted the Global Gag Rule).
The main reason the conservatives are so passionately opposed to PP is because of the abortion services it provides -- which they oppose on moral and religious grounds. Interestingly, conservatives and liberals alike, many people regard PP as a centre that primarily provides abortion services. But a quick look at the organisation's website should dispel that notion. PP's programmes are varied, and include -- birth control/family planning services, STD prevention, pregnancy support, general women's health care to mention just a few. In the 2014 annual report of PP, it is stated that abortion services accounted for only three percent of the more than 10 million services they provided.
However, this is such a serious political debate in the U.S. at the moment that it could lead to government shutdown this year. Congress has to come to a decision regarding whether to defund PP or not by September 30th. Lawmakers have to pass a federal funding bill by October 1st. All the 2016 U.S. presidential candidates from both Republican and Democratic parties are weighing in on the PP issue and taking a stand to advance their political careers. Meanwhile, PP is aggressively fighting back the attacks to put them out of business. Through advertisements in all media outlets and counter campaigns to gain valuable public support, PP has shown that it is an organisation that is not intimidated by hostile threats and ready to fight back with equal determination.
When women activists are moving forward in the rest of the world, discussing progressive issues and concerns at the United Nations women's summits and other international platforms, the U.S. seems to be moving backwards when it comes to reproductive rights and women's rights matters. The issue with Planned Parenthood is a clear battle between Republicans and Democrats -- the right and the left -- the conservatives and the liberals, whichever way you describe it. It is a highly political matter. U.S. is constantly pointing out the poor status of women in developing countries. Yet it is beyond ridiculous that in this day and age a serious debate to defund Planned Parenthood, and potentially shutdown the government over women's reproductive rights decisions, is taking place in a country that boasts to have long overcome debates of gender equality and women empowerment.
As Cecile Richards, the President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America states: "Attacking Planned Parenthood is attacking women; who need preventive health care, cancer screenings and contraception. Health-care provision should never be political". Hopefully policy makers in the United States will come to their senses and recognise the importance of keeping health care separate from politics.
The writer is a freelance journalist living in the US.