PHA-Exchange> FW: WOMEN'S GROUPS "GRADE" BUSH ADMIN ON ITS GLOBAL POLICIES

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Dear friends,

We have been asked to circulate this in solidarity. We hope the information
might be useful in your work.

Best regards,
Nadia
WGNRR Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights
RMMDR Red Mundial de Mujeres por los Derechos Reproductivos
RMFDR   Réseau Mondial des Femmes pour les Droits sur la Reproduction

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First Global Women's Scorecard on Bush Administration Released in

Washington, D.C.

August 26th, 2003





CONTACT:          Jodi L. Jacobson, Executive Director
Center for Health and Gender Equity

(301) 270-1182; jjacobson at genderhealth.org



On Tuesday, August 26th, Women's Equality Day, the Center for Health and
Gender Equity (CHANGE), the Feminist Majority Foundation, and the Women's
Environment and Development Organization, with the Communications Consortium
Media Center, held a press conference to release the first Global Women's
Issues Scorecard, comparing the rhetorical promises made by the Bush
Administration on international women's rights and health concerns against
the actions taken by the Administration.  A full copy of the first Global
Scorecard can be obtained through CHANGE's website at
http://www.genderhealth.org/scorecard.php or from www.wglobalscorecard.org.



The three groups graded the Administration's official statements against its
actions on a range of issues critical to the lives of women and other
vulnerable groups worldwide, including HIV/AIDS, Afghan women's rights,
international family planning and the Millennium Challenge Account. Speakers
included Ellie Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation,
speaking on Bush administration policies affecting Afghan women and on
CEDAW, the International Treaty for the Rights of Women; Jodi Jacobson,
Executive Director, Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) on the
global HIV/AIDS initiative and international family planning issues; and
June Zeitlin, Executive Director, Women's Environment and Development
Organization (WEDO) on agricultural subsidies, the Millennium Challenge
Account and policies affecting Iraqi women.



Among the grades given to the Administration were a "B" for rhetoric on
global AIDS policies, and an "F" for policies that ignore the needs of women
and other vulnerable groups; a "B" for rhetoric on support for the rights of
women in Afghanistan, and an "F" for failing to act to increase security,
expand girls access to schools, and address the resurgence of fundamentalist
restrictions on women's daily lives; and a "D" for rhetoric on international
family planning and an "F" for its actions generally to restrict funding for
essential reproductive health services worldwide.



"The Bush Administration earns high marks in several areas for its rhetoric
on issues of critical concern to women worldwide," noted Jodi Jacobson of
CHANGE.  "Indeed, President Bush and members of his administration have
sought to promote themselves as compassionate conservatives in part by
speaking out on urgent global issues, such as the global AIDS epidemic and
the need to secure women's rights in war torn countries such as Afghanistan
and Iraq."



"But as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words," Jacobson stated.
"And in this regard, women throughout the world will find little to
celebrate in this Administration's policies to date."



"To improve its record and be more accountable to its own stated goals,"
asserted Jacobson, "the Bush Administration should move quickly to put in
place the programs and the resources to secure and promote the rights of
women to education, employment, and freedom of expression in places like
Afghanistan and Iraq; expand women's access to basic reproductive and sexual
healthcare, including both prevention of and treatment for HIV/AIDs; and
address the epidemic of gender-based violence that threatens the lives of
women everywhere."



Jodi L. Jacobson, Executive Director

Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)

6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 910

Takoma Park, Maryland                20912

Phone: (301) 270-1182                Fax: (301) 270-2052

www.genderhealth.org



The Center for Health and Gender Equity is a U.S.-based international
reproductive health and rights organization.  We conduct research, policy
analysis, and evidence-based advocacy in our efforts to make public health
and human rights principles integral to U.S. international population and
health policies and programs.  For more information or to be added to our
database, please e-mail Seneca Pappas at spappas at genderhealth.org.

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