Saturday, January 24, 2009

Should Obama end the abortion funds ban?

President Obama has lifted a ban on US government funding for groups providing abortion services abroad. Is it the right decision?

The ban, known as "the global gag rule", stops funding to organisations that offer information on abortion and abortion-related services overseas.

Critics of the ban have said it adversely affected the family planning services that health groups could provide in the world's poorest nations, where infant mortality rates are high.

Pro-life groups in the United States say taxpayers money should not be used to pay for or promote abortion.

Should the US government fund health groups irrespective of whether they advise on abortion? Are you in a country where health services will benefit from the lifting of the ban? Should government funding to health groups contain restrictions on what the groups can do?

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