U.S. State Department’s Silence on Women’s Health and Human Rights Abuses Is Deafening

WASHINGTON, April 23 -- CARE issued the following news release:

In response to the U.S. State Department's annual Human Rights Report (HRR) - released on April 20th - CARE is deeply concerned by the Trump administration's decision to censor critical information regarding the abuse and human rights violations experienced by women and girls worldwide. Specifically, the HRR eliminates key definitions of violations related to reproductive rights, rape and domestic violence.

"The Human Rights Report's silence on women's health and rights is deafening," said Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of CARE. "A woman's ability to determine when, if and how many children she will have is a fundamental human right, and access to high-quality, voluntary contraceptive services is a non-negotiable component of that right."

The Human Rights Report is a diplomatic tool that sheds a light on human rights abuses around the world and guides the U.S. government in addressing these abuses. The censoring of information and analysis on issues that impact women and girls weakens the U.S. government's ability to defend human rights globally and undermines the credibility of the report.

"By minimizing rape and domestic violence, the Human Rights Report ignores the grave injustice that gender-based violence survivors have endured. In order for the United States to have moral standing in the human rights community, the Human Rights Report must shed light on - not obscure - abuses against women and girls," said Nunn.

Combating discrimination and advancing women and girls throughout our U.S. foreign policy and development assistance is crucial to defeating poverty worldwide. If the U.S. wants to lead, the egregious abuses suffered by women and girls must be a top priority.