Humanitarian Aid for Rape Victims

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/opinion/humanitarian-aid-for-rape-victims.html?_r=1&ref=abortion

"Humanitarian Aid for Rape Victims: Editorial." The New York Times. 7 Sept. 2011. The New York Times Company. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.

In this Article, President Obama ordered for the "global gag rule" to be lifted on his third day in office. This rule didn't allow federal money to go to family planning that performed abortions or even recommended it. But Mr. Obama did leave a policy stand that had similar restrictions about not being able to recommend abortion and not allowing the use of foreign aid money for the medical treament. Even in cases of rape, to save a women's life, or in war zones.This policy is not really enforced. It is similar to one that was enacted in 1973, its just more restrictive. That act would be the Helms ammendment. The Helms ammendment "bans using foreign aid money to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions."
Providing abortions to rape victims is not "a method of family planning." And neither is letting them know about their right to choose to have an abortion. Although in 2008, there was a misinterpretation of the Helms ammendment that was formalized and is still enforced today.A group led by Global Justice Center and Norway, called to have the policy lifted as it applies to those subject to rape. This group found that the interpretation of the Helms ammendment that we have now goes against Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. This "entitles all victims of armed conflict — including those brutalized by rape — to complete and non-discriminatory medical treatment." Obama doesn't want to upset the antiabortion extremists by changing this policy, but he has to abide by his pledge to the Geneva convention. Even in one of the antiabortion bills that passed throught the house this year had exceptions for rape, saving a women's life, and in cases of incest.

This Article is not to biased until the end. It is leaning towards antiabortion and talks about how using abortion is not a proper form of family planning.