freediver
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www.ozpolitic.com
Posts: 47043
At my desk.
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End abortion ban on aid spending: Greens
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/End-abortion-ban-on-aid-spending-Greens/2007/05/16/1178995224277.html
The Australian Greens have called on the government to lift a ban that prohibits aid money being used to provide information on abortion.
The call comes in light of The State of the World's Girls report by aid organisation Plan International, released on Wednesday.
The report showed that restricting women's access to abortion services in developing countries was resulting in high levels of morbidity.
Under current guidelines, Australian aid money is banned from funding any organisation that provides advice to women about abortion.
"Between 13 and 25 per cent of maternal deaths globally are caused by unsafe abortions."
Senator Nettle said a recent article published in The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, had labelled unsafe abortion a "preventable pandemic" which kills around 63,000 women and girls a year.
Australia and the United States are the only two countries that ban aid money being used to provide information about abortion.
If it's good enough for Australian women, why deny access to poor women?
I think that religious groups in the US currently prevent aid money being spent on condoms and family planning, even in countries where aids is rife.
AIDS fight blocked by religion: Kirby
http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking-news/aids-fight-blocked-by-religion-kirby/2007/05/17/1178995317058.html
Religion is hindering United Nations efforts to spread the messages needed to combat the spread of AIDS, human rights activist and High Court judge Michael Kirby said on Thursday.
Australia, under successive governments, had been far more successful in its approach to the disease, he said.
Justice Kirby was launching a new book, Civil Society, Religion and Global Governance, which includes contributions by a range of international and Australian political, legal, economic and religious figures on the role of civil society.
Abortion aid policy repugnant: Libs MP
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Abortion-aid-policy-repugnant-Libs-MP/2007/05/30/1180205287376.html
The federal government's aid policy on abortion is repugnant and an insult to women, Liberal backbencher Mal Washer says.
Dr Washer is leading a group of 50 politicians from all parties who want the government to allow Australian aid to be spent on abortion advice.
The government banned abortion advice more than 10 years ago to please former Independent senator Brian Harradine when he held the balance of power.
"What is even more ridiculous or more repugnant is that we're saying in these guidelines that if you go and have an illegal abortion where there is a 13 per cent chance of death on average and you happen to survive, we're happy to give you counselling.
Parliament debates pregnancy counselling
http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking-news/parliament-debates-pregnancy-counselling/2007/06/14/1181414456221.html
A woman who sought counselling after having an abortion was told by the counsellor to name her baby which would not have a place in heaven, the Senate heard.
The startling claims were made by Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle during parliamentary debate on the Pregnancy Counselling (Truth in Advertising) Bill.
The private member's bill, introduced to parliament by Australian Democrats senator Natasha Stott Despoja, aims to cut off government funding to pregnancy counsellors who engage in misleading or deceptive advertising and impose fines for such conduct.
US abortion foes push for ultrasound law
http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/US-abortion-foes-push-for-ultrasound-law/2007/06/17/1182018920759.html
A national anti-abortion group is pushing legislation in US states aimed at making sure pregnant women and girls view sonograms before having abortions, hoping that what they see will persuade them against having the procedure.
Such proposals have gained little attention so far from legislators in Kansas or Missouri.
But the National Right to Life Committee says 11 states have enacted laws requiring abortion providers to tell patients they have the right to see an ultrasound image of the embryo or foetus they are carrying.
US Senate clears foreign abortions aid
http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/US-Senate-clears-foreign-abortions-aid/2007/06/29/1182624124336.html
A US Senate committee has joined the House of Representatives in defying a White House veto threat, moving to reverse a ban on contraception aid to overseas groups that offer abortion.
The Senate Appropriations Committee included the proposal in a $US34.24 billion ($A40.5 billion) foreign aid bill that also places new emphasis on fighting diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
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