(MENAFNEditorial) NAIROBI Kenya July 23 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- In response to President Obama's visit to Kenya next week we were informed that agents of the Kenyan government tore down—without explanation—a billboard we had placed legally on Chiromo Road. The billboard was sponsored by the international organization Catholics for Choice (http://www.catholicsforchoice.org) in partnership with Reproductive Health Services Kenya. Both groups were greatly concerned about the Helms Amendment an American policy that puts the health welfare and lives of Kenyan women at risk. The billboard called on President Obama and his administration to act now—after six and a half years of inaction—to revise this cruel and unjust policy.
Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/cfc.png
Download the billboard "Kenyan women deserve better than 6 years of inaction Mr. President": http://www.apo-mail.org/150723.pdf
Download the ad: http://www.apo-mail.org/150723ad.pdf
As it is currently interpreted the Helms Amendment acts as a complete ban on using US foreign assistance for any abortion care or counseling options for pregnancy. In practice this prevents women in Kenya and around the world from following their conscience and getting the reproductive care they need. With a wave of his hand President Obama could do the right thing for countless women by clarifying this dangerous interpretation.
'We were proud to join with the international organization Catholics for Choice because as medical physicians caring for the people of Kenya we know how this unjust American policy can interfere with the medical care and treatment we need to provide for the Kenyan people' said Dr. John Nyamu the executive director of Reproductive Health Services Kenya. 'We acted in the best democratic tradition of raising issues in a constructive way in the hopes that President Obama would find the compassion to listen to the voices of Kenyan medical experts who are too aware of how the Helms Amendment can tie the hands of those of us working at the frontlines for women's health and reproductive justice.'
Jon O'Brien president of Catholics for Choice said 'For the past six and a half years I have joined time and time again colleagues from all over the world (http://www.apo.af/ByLaUt) in meetings with key officials in the Obama administration. We know that the administration and President Obama are aware of how unjust the Helms Amendment is but the strictest interpretation of the policy persists. In the remaining time that Obama is in office we have a duty as citizens of the world to continue to bring this cruel unnecessary and downright harmful policy to his attention. A very simple clarification on paper would bring about profound change not just for women in Kenya but for women around the world. We have a duty to speak truth to power—and that is the cornerstone of democratic society. We can only hope and pray that Obama will listen to voices of the people who suffer most when American policy is bad.'
Catholics for Choice and Reproductive Health Services Kenya will continue in other ways to campaign for Obama to do the right thing and clarify the Helms policy. Advertisements are scheduled to appear in three Kenyan newspapers: the East African Standard Daily Nation and The Nairobian (http://www.apo.af/hUxR63).
To view a high-quality version of the banned billboard click here: http://www.apo.af/tJKcFK
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Catholics For Choice.
Media contact:
Claire S. Gould
Senior Communications Associate
+1 202-986-6093
cgould@catholicsforchoice.org
About Catholics for Choice (CFC)
Catholics for Choice (CFC) (http://www.catholicsforchoice.org) was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health.
CFC has its headquarters in Washington DC. We work with sister organizations throughout Latin America and we maintain a presence in the European parliament and throughout Europe working closely with Catholic and reproductive health colleagues there. CFC is an ECOSOC-accredited NGO in the UN system and has participated in many UN conferences and forums.
With an annual budget of $3000000 CFC and our partners are active in support of social justice and human rights in both church and society.
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