EngenderHealth Expresses Strong Support for She Decides Initiative

March 2, 2017—New York, NY. EngenderHealth, a leading international women’s health organization whose vision is “women and girls first,” announces its unwavering commitment to the She Decides initiative. For more than 70 years, EngenderHealth has worked toward ensuring that all women, regardless of where they live, have the right to determine if and when they want to have children, along with the opportunity to plan their families and their futures.

We thank the founding governments of the She Decides initiative for their stalwart leadership in increasing financial and political support for voluntary lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptives, sexuality education, and safe abortion. This year of major transition within the global and political sphere represents an historic opportunity to lay the groundwork to protect the progress and investments made to date in improving sexual and reproductive health and rights.

It is a fundamental right for all women and girls to have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care. We know that access to safe abortion and postabortion care is a matter of life or death for millions. Policies that hinder or limit access to sexual and reproductive health and rights target women with a laser-like focus that is entirely unjust and discriminatory.

EngenderHealth promises to fight back on behalf of women everywhere. We will be relentless in our efforts to ensure that any woman who wants contraception will never be denied. And we promise to hold ourselves and our partners accountable to delivering on these commitments.

Empowering women and girls is not only a human rights obligation; it is also crucial to advancing sustainable development. The framework of the new Sustainable Development Goals enshrines this notion, recognizing that progress for women and girls will drive progress for everyone.

Investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights are wise investments, worthy of greater international support. Because of our collective efforts today, women and girls will be freer and healthier tomorrow. In turn, our world will be a better, stronger, and safer place. This is precisely why EngenderHealth shares in the commitment and conviction of the She Decides initiative and pledges our strong support to this partnership.

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For more information contact:

Priyanka Ghosh
Manager, Communications & Marketing
PGhosh@engenderhealth.org
Tel:  212-561-8521
Fax:  212-561-8067