Historic march highlights global impact of U.S. reproductive-health policies

Ipas Mexico's Nadine Gasman (holding purple sign) joins other activists April 24th at a White House demonstration against the Global Gag Rule.

More than 1 million people marched on the United States capitol April 25^th, loudly voicing disapproval of Bush administration policies that endanger the health and lives of women worldwide.

More than 130 visitors from at least 57 countries — including many Ipas staff and colleagues — joined American women, men and children in the massive march and rally. A sea of multi-colored national flags and speakers' repeated denunciations of the Global Gag Rule and other harmful U.S. policies underscored marchers' awareness of the global need to protect women's reproductive health, and the United States' important role.

“The march was such an exhilarating and exciting experience -- one we will never forget,” said Ipas President Elizabeth Maguire. “It sent an unequivocal message of concern about growing threats to women’s reproductive freedom around the world.

“Clearly, the numbers are with those of us who want the United States to provide more responsible leadership to ensure that women can safely exercise their sexual and reproductive rights.”

In addition to the march itself, Ipas staff and colleagues participated in numerous related activities throughout the weekend, including a demonstration at the White House on Saturday protesting the Global Gag Rule. This policy denies U.S. family-planning assistance to foreign organizations that promote, refer or counsel for abortion in all but a very few circumstances.

About 200 people gathered in Lafayette Park for the protest, carrying flags of many countries and wearing gags to symbolize the policy’s undemocratic infringement of free speech. Speakers from Asia, Africa and Latin America — including Nadine Gasman, Country Director of Ipas Mexico — told the crowd and media representatives that U.S. policies actively hinder regional efforts to protect women and girls from unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

“We challenge President Bush to open his eyes and his heart to protect the health of the poorest girls, women and families in the world,” Gasman said.

An event held in Mexico City on April 25^th in solidarity with the Washington march promoted similar messages. In the Mexican capital’s central Zocalo Square, activists gathered to build a “Tree of Life for Women’s Lives,” a latex construction on which they hung hundreds of messages and pictures of women. Organizers -- a coalition of Mexican women’s groups including Equidad de Género, Ddeser, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, Decidir, Ipas Mexico, Insituto de Liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir, Modemmujer and Sipam – distributed 4,000 roses to event participants and held a press conference explaining their concerns.

They also gathered more than 1,400 signatures on a petition intended for Mexican President Vicente Fox, calling for greater attention to preventing deaths and injuries of Mexican women from pregnancy-related causes, including unsafe abortion. They plan to deliver a a similar letter to President George W. Bush.

For more information, contact:
Kirsten Sherk
Senior Associate, Media Relations
e-mail: sherkk@ipas.org
phone: 919.960.5612
fax: 919.929.0258