ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

President Bush Fails International "Youth Test"

Youth Activists Will Mobilize High School and College Students to Demand Action in Areas of International Family Planning and Global HIV/AIDS

WASHINGTON, DC (March 28, 2001) Members of the International Youth Leadership Council of Advocates for Youth today release a progress report grading President Bush on his attention to international family planning and global HIV/AIDS.

"In President Bush's first 68 days in office, he has already moved our country back 12 years by reinstating the 'global gag rule'—putting thousands of my peers worldwide at risk for unsafe back room abortions," says Naina Dhingra, a sophomore at George Washington University and a member of the International Leadership Youth Council. "For living in the past, and for trying to force us to live there with him, President Bush receives an 'F' in the area of international family planning."

The Youth Council gives Bush a "D-" in the area of global HIV/AIDS. "We are glad that President Bush chose to continue the executive order issued by former President Clinton not to seek trade sanctions against poor countries seeking to buy low-cost AIDS drugs. However, President Bush has failed to articulate a clear and concise policy on how his administration will contribute to stopping the HIV/AIDS pandemic," says Dhingra. "His inaction on this important issue shows that he is out of touch with the world. And, equally important, his inaction shows that he is willing to sacrifice the world's greatest resource—its youth."

Former President Clinton receives a "B" in the area of international family planning, while the 106th Congress receives a "D" for holding hostage the back dues owed to the United Nations in exchange for restrictions on international family planning organizations that receive U.S. funds.

Former President Clinton receives a "B+" for making the HIV/AIDS pandemic a priority after 12 years of indifference under the administrations of former presidents Reagan and Bush. The 106th Congress receives a "C-" for blocking President Clinton's efforts in the global HIV/AIDS arena at every turn.

The release of the report card marks the launch of the Youth Council's year-long "My Voice Counts" campaign that will mobilize students throughout the country to demand action from the Bush administration and the 107th Congress on the issues of international family planning and global HIV/AIDS.

"Every minute, five of my peers around the world become infected with HIV—that's 300 young people every hour," says Sean Barry, a junior at the University of Maryland College Park and a member of the International Youth Leadership Council. "Young people cannot afford to lose any more time waiting for President Bush to take action in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The "My Voice Counts" campaign sends a warning signal to policy makers that we refuse to be victims any longer."

The campaign, which aims to reach and mobilize a million young people throughout the United States, includes a national petition drive. The petition will run in more than 30 college newspapers nationwide, will be used at a variety of events on college and university campuses throughout the year, and will be available online at www.advocatesforyouth.org/youth/. The "My Voice Counts" petition calls for increased funding for international family planning and global HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

"Our government should not stand on the sidelines while young people around the world are on the frontline facing one of the most terrifying health crises in human history. Members of Congress should know that, by the end of this campaign, the International Youth Leadership Council will deliver bags of petitions from young people nationwide who will be voting in the next Congressional and Presidential elections," says Barry.

Specifically, the petition calls for the immediate repeal of the "global gag rule," restrictions imposed on international family planning organizations by President Bush on his first full day in office. The "global gag rule" prohibits U.S. public funds from being distributed to international family planning organizations that also use private funds to provide abortions or to advocate for better abortion laws. In essence, the "gag" rule not only restricts these organizations from providing safe abortions, but also limits their ability to provide critical family planning services that reduce the need for abortions.

"As the first act of his Presidency, Bush imposed an order so contentious that, if issued in the United States, it would be unconstitutional," says Mai Pham, a sophomore at George Washington University and a member of the International Youth Leadership Council. "Currently, at least 50% of pregnancies to young women living in the developing world are unwanted, unintended, and/or mistimed. It is ironic that President Bush is virtually guaranteeing the need for abortion by limiting the most effective and fundamental means of reducing abortion—family planning."

The "My Voice Counts" petition also calls on President Bush and the 107th Congress to ensure that all HIV/AIDS treatment drugs and future vaccines will be easily accessible to less developed countries at low cost without unreasonable restrictions from trade and patent laws.

"HIV/AIDS is destroying my generation—the next generation of teachers, doctors, scientists, and journalists. Tomorrow's leaders will not exist unless today's leaders take action. AIDS policy should not be made through a series of media leaks and rumors," says Marcus Harrison, a recent graduate of Bowie State University and a member of the International Youth Leadership Council. "We are hoping that President Bush will not repeat the missed opportunities of his father's administration."

One year from now, the International Youth Leadership Council will re-grade the Bush administration and will grade the 107th Congress on the issues of international family planning and global HIV/AIDS. "Despite our age and our experience, or more importantly because of our age and our experience, we offer a different perspective on these issues—we are living the statistics. Members of the International Youth Leadership Council come from different backgrounds and have diverse views, but we have one thing in common—we feel a responsibility to speak for our peers worldwide who are not yet empowered to express a voice of their own," concludes Pham.

The International Youth Leadership Council consists of a diverse group of students from area colleges dedicated to educating policy makers, the media and the American public about the importance of increasing U.S. funding for global HIV/AIDS and international family planning. The Youth Council is a project of Advocates for Youth, an international, nonprofit organization that creates programs and advocates for policies that help young people make safe, responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

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Note to Editors and Producers: For more information on the "My Voice Counts" campaign, visit www.advocatesforyouth.org/youth/. To set up an interview with event participants, please contact Bill Barker at (202) 419-3420.

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