Today is the 46th anniversary of the #Helms Amendment. Enacted following the #RoevWade decision, Helms restricts US foreign aid for abortion. This policy has not only limited the reach & effectiveness of US global health assistance, but it continues to threaten SRHR worldwide.
Helms has long been incorrectly interpreted & implemented as an outright ban on abortion. Even in countries where abortion is legal, Helms has deterred providers from offering abortion-related counseling or referrals, providing safe miscarriage management & more.
This has only made existing health system challenges even worse, including by raising barriers to postabortion care, which is essential to reducing negative health outcomes resulting from unsafe abortion. #HelmsAmendment
Every year, millions of women suffer serious injuries from unsafe abortion, and 22,800 of them die—almost all in low income countries. #maternalhealth
Make no mistake: The Helms Amendment continues to put the health & well-being of people worldwide at risk. It’s long past time for #Congress to reverse Helms & other restrictive antiabortion policies in order to fulfill the US commitment to advancing SRHR globally. #EndHelms
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Did you hear today's episode of #TheDaily from @nytimes with Marjorie Dannenfelser and feel 🤯 listening to all the anti-choice nonsense? If so, here's the real deal on abortion in the US and why this essential health service needs to be protected. (1/x) guttmacher.org/united-states/…
First, let's be clear that abortion patients are largely people like Ms. Dannenfelser: white, hetero, religiously affiliated, and who already have a child. Abortion is an experience shared by 1 in 4 American women, across demographic lines. (2/x) guttmacher.org/united-states/…
Second, abortion is a safe, effective procedure needed by many women, even those using contraception.
-18% of pregnancies in 2017 ended in abortion
-51% of abortion patients were using a contraceptive method in the month they became pregnant. (3/x) guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/ind…
“I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies. I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously. But he never did.” @BarackObama speaks the truth. #DemConvention
"And the consequences of that failure are severe: 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before.” #Obama on #Covid_19 and more
“Over eight years, Joe was the last one in the room whenever I faced a big decision. He made me a better president. He’s got the character and the experience to make us a better country.”
Rollcall! What a treat to see a little bit of the beauty of America. #DemConvention
This is how every convention #RollCall should go from now on--we get policy, personal stories, nature, fun facts, travel inspiration, and enthusiastic voting. I love it. #DemConvention
An Emmy for the team that put together this #RollCall series for the #DemConvention. Perfectly chosen locations and representation, showcasing both the natural beauty of the country and it's real strength--the diversity and character of its people.
I'm incredibly proud of my colleagues at #CDC for raising up the issue of racial inequality, both inside and beyond the agency. Having spent 10 years at CDC, I can definitively say that the challenge of racism at the agency is real and that it's past time that it's addressed.
There are scores of brilliant, talented, creative people of color (especially women of color) at #CDC but they are often unable to move up due to biased hiring. Too often, I saw people hire people who look like them, which has manifested in homogeneity in leadership.
People of color, particularly if they are Black, are disproportionately in administrative & support jobs, even if they have the qualifications for more technical jobs. As the employee letter notes, only 6% of CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service is Black. cdc.gov/eis/who-we-are…
If you're looking for a reminder of who America is this #FourthofJuly, I highly recommend @PadmaLakshmi's show Taste the Nation. The thoughtful, loving profiles of 10 communities, from the Gullah Geechee to Native Americans to Mexicans, reflect our true strength--our diversity.
Not only does it cover the history of #immigration, both by choice and against one's will, it explores #ClimateChange, the challenges of being bi/multiracial, manifestations of racism, and more, all through the lens of food.
And of course, the food looks amazing. (Side note: someone should make a compilation of Padma's "oh my god" reaction shots.) The episode on the struggles of Thai women of Las Vegas had me crying and drooling at the same time.