AusAID Family Planning Guidelines

The Australian Reproductive Health Alliance has sent the following letter to members urging them to take action to remove the AusAID Family Planning Guidelines.

Dear ARHA Member

You will be aware that US President Barack Obama has just removed the US Global Gag rule, which prevented non-government organisations from using US dollars to either educate about unsafe abortion, or provide safe abortions, overseas.

Australia's mirror of the invidious Global Gag remains. The AusAID Family Planning Guidelines prevents Australian Government aid and development funds being used for the full range of family planning services, education and information. Under AusAID's Guidelines no information about unsafe abortion can be given and no service provided even in countries where abortion is legal. As well as contributing to the deaths of thousands of women in our region and the devastating effects on their families it has led to an 84% decrease in family planning funding over the last eleven years.

Across the world, a woman a minute dies in childbirth or from pregnancy related complications. Unsafe abortions cause 13 per cent of all maternal deaths worldwide, many in the Asia Pacific region. A reduction in maternal deaths cannot be achieved without access to information on safe (in countries where abortion is legal) and unsafe abortion. As you will be aware sexual and reproductive health and family planning is essential to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals especially MDG 4 (reduce child mortality) and MDG 5 (improve maternal health).

We would be grateful if you would assist us to urge our Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs to remove the Family Planning Guidelines as a matter of urgency. Minister Smith has said that a decision on the status of the Guidelines is imminent but we are concerned that this decision may not completely remove the Guidelines, which is essential if we are to lessen the number of women dying in our region.

You can take action by writing or emailing -

The Hon. Kevin Rudd, MP

Prime Minister of Australia

Email -

http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm

Postal - PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

Fax - +0011 61 2 6273 4100

The Hon. Stephen Smith, MP

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Email -

Stephen [dot] Smith [dot] MP [at] aph [dot] gov [dot] au

Postal - PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

Fax - +0011 61 2 6273 4112

Would you please copy these messages to -

The Parliamentary Group on Population and Development Secretariat

Email -

secretariat [at] pgpd [dot] asn [dot] au

Postal - PO Box 41 Deakin West ACT 2600 Australia

Fax - +0011 61 2 6249 6577

The Hon. Bob McMullan, MP

Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance

Email -

Bob [dot] McMullan [dot] MP [at] aph [dot] gov [dot] au

Postal - PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

Fax - +0011 61 2 6277 8496

Your urgent action will be invaluable and as well would you please distribute this request to your networks. Some material to assist you in drafting a letter is attached.

Yours sincerely

Jane Singleton AM

CEO, Australian Reproductive Health Alliance