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March 8, 2007

Religious Leaders Urge Expanded International Family Planning Assistance as a Cornerstone of U.S. Foreign Aid

Washington, DC—Christian and Jewish religious leaders came together today, on International Women’s Day, to urge Congress and the President to expand funding for international family planning as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign assistance. They advised government policymakers that aid for family planning would demonstrate “America’s compassion and moral principles by helping the most impoverished women and their families survive and thrive.”

“The book of Leviticus tells us that we must not stand idly by the blood of our neighbors (Leviticus 19:16),” said Rabbi Amy Schwartzman of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia, speaking on behalf of Reform Judaism. “Yet year after year, we as a nation have failed to contribute our portion to fund the programs and provide the resources that save lives worldwide.”

The leaders held a briefing on Capitol Hill sponsored by Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) and the Religious Advocates Working Group to urge Members of Congress to co-sponsor the “Focus on Family Health Worldwide Act of 2007” (HR 1225), a bipartisan, pro-choice/pro-life measure.

“Christians have no alternative to involvement in seeking solutions for the great and complex set of problems facing the world today,” including rapid population growth and denial of human rights, said Jim Winkler, general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, which has 11 million members worldwide. “None can be addressed in isolation,” he said, quoting from the denomination’s “Social Principles.”

“Regrettably, President Bush has proposed a dramatic 25% reduction in funding for international family planning and reproductive health programs in his 2008 budget request despite the fact that they are one of the most successful components of the U.S. foreign assistance program,” said Winkler.

Reverend Elenora Giddings Ivory, Director of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office, said: "in many countries young women have little or no access to education or health care when it comes to family planning. We believe that all of God's people should have access to this basic health care."

The Jewish philosopher and physician Maimonides wrote in Mishneh Torah that women are commanded to care for their bodies and health above all else, said Rabbi Schwartzman. “If we are to uphold this value as a society, it cannot only be wealthy women who can access care. If we are to uphold this value as a society, it cannot only be American women who can access care.”

The Focus on Family Health Worldwide Act will extend access to voluntary family planning to families in the poorest countries. The bill authorizes $600 million in FY2008 for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support voluntary family planning, contraceptive procurement, logistical support, education, training and integration with HIV/AIDS activities in developing countries. A broad array of religious, health, population, and environmental organizations support the measure. Representatives McCollum, Jim Ramstad (R-MN), James Oberstar (D-MN), Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Chris Shays (R-CT) are primary co-sponsors of the bill.

Investments in international family planning are important because:

• 530,000 women died last year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth with 99 percent of the deaths occurring in developing countries.
• Nearly 11 million children under the age of five die each year, frequently from low birth-weight, malnutrition or causes related to complications in the mother's pregnancy.
• For HIV-positive women, voluntary family planning is the most efficacious and cost-effective intervention to avoid the transmission of HIV from mother-to-child.

March 7, 2007

Religious and religiously affiliated organizations today urged Members of Congress to support legislation that would improve the lives of women and families in the poorest countries of the world. This is their letter to Congress, in observance of International Women's Day March 8. You can put your faith into action by clicking on this link and asking your Representative to co-sponsor this bill.

Dear Member of Congress,

We are writing as representatives of various faith groups in support of the Focus on Family Health Worldwide Act, H.R. 1225, a bill recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. We urge you to sign on as a co-sponsor of this bill, if you have not done so already, and show America’s compassion and moral principles by helping the most impoverished women and their families survive and thrive. We also invite you and your staff to attend a briefing on the bill on March 8th in celebration of International Women’s Day.

Every year, over 530,000 women around the world die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Access to voluntary family planning is a highly effective and morally responsible health intervention that saves lives. Because women are often the key to child and family health, increasing access to voluntary family planning has positive significant effects on the whole community.

This bill will save and improve lives! In addition to authorizing funding to family planning programs implemented by the US Agency for International Development, it targets assistance to developing countries with acute family planning and maternal health needs and will increase access to contraceptives for couples. The bill will serve to reduce maternal and child mortality through the implementation of improved coordination between family planning programs and HIV & AIDS prevention programs.

Family planning prevents unplanned pregnancies thereby preventing abortions. According to the Guttmacher Institute, every year nearly 80 million unintended pregnancies occur worldwide. More than half of these pregnancies end in abortion. Access to information, education and services on voluntary family planning and contraception is essential in reducing unintended pregnancies and rates of abortion.

An interfaith briefing entitled “Healthy Women, Healthy Families: Religious Leaders Speak Out on International Women’s Day” will be held on March 8th from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Longworth Office Building, Room 1116. Leaders from different religious traditions will share their communities’ commitment to family planning at this Congressional briefing sponsored by Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN).

As people of faith, we hope that all families will have access to basic services including family planning. Women are often the key to child and family health, and increasing access to voluntary family planning has positive significant effects on the whole community. Your support of this legislation is critical – it will make a difference in the lives of so many people.

Sincerely,

American Jewish Committee
Catholics for a Free Choice
Disciples For Choice
Disciples Justice Action Network
Episcopal Church
Equal Partners in Faith
Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization
Jewish Women International
NA’AMAT USA
National Council of Jewish Women
Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Colorado
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Indiana
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Iowa
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Kentucky
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Minnesota
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Missouri
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, New Jersey
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, New Mexico
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Ohio
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Pennsylvania
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Southern California
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, West Virginia
Women of Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodists for Choice
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society