1. SAfAIDS Experience:
Holding High the SRHR Umbrella under the Dark Cloud of the Global Gag Rule
Rouzeh Eghtessadi (MPH)
Acting Executive Director
SAfAIDS Regional Office

2. Our Position on the MCP
SAfAIDS does not subscribe to dictates of the MCP (Global Gag Rule)
SAfAIDS stands as a principled human rights based organisation which firmly believes that the right to decide and exercise control over one's own body, sexuality and reproduction is fundamental to every person
SAfAIDS believes that a woman’s right to decide when and with whom she wants to have children are linked to, and requires, access to contraception in order to avoid unintended or unwanted pregnancies and prevent unsafe abortions
SAfAIDS does not subscribe to any efforts to curtail the rights of women and girls in any sphere of their lives

3. Some Adverse Effects of the MCP
Forced to make untenable choice between continuing to promote ALL SRHR ( + right to abortions) OR taking US global health funding  irreparable damage for individuals & entire communities
Termination of AGYW, OVC and families (USAID & FHI360) programmes
Dramatic cut in skilled workforce, and loss of critical assets
Reduced resource availability to sustain gains made in advancing women and girls SRHR, and initiating new and needed initiatives
Demotivated staff and local partners who are invested in SRHR work
Reversed gains made in SRHR for AGYW and Women’s Rights  increase unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions  slowing progress towards achieving goals to prevent deaths of women, girls, mothers and children
Weakened crucial coalition-building efforts due to “fear” of engaging with groups that are/are not complying ; resentment, reworked trust building
MCP “Passive Response” criteria not conducive to African context!

4. Adopt A Conquering Attitude!
Principles FIRST!
Dig-deep for creative and persevering efforts to identify new alternate spheres & resource investment for SRHR e.g. philanthropies, social enterprise, private sector CSI/CRS
Do not shy away from advocating liberalization of abortion laws – Keep On!
Consider support for overcautious health workforce, who may be struggling with over-interpretation of the policy
Invest in strengthening SRHR and Women’s Rights focused organisations capacity and skills to exercise their right to advocate their own governments
Accelerate sustained and visible advocacy – what is Southern African civil society and development partners united agenda? Where is our Movement?
Strategise, Write, Speak  repeat & press on till something budges! e.g. CHANGE published Prescribing Chaos in Global Health: The Global Gag Rule from , June What are we doing to carry this evidence into action?

5. “Every Crack Lets in Light (Japanese Proverb)…… ….. Aluta Continua !”