For Immediate Release:	August 29, 2003
For More Information:	Diana Thomas, Marie Stopes International, diana.thomas@mariestopes.org.uk, +44 (0)20 7034 2317
Sponsor Organization:	Marie Stopes International
"Sadly, it is the refugees themselves whose health and lives will be placed at risk by Mr Bush's ideological war on women."
The US State Department is denying funds to a consortium offering life saving sexual and reproductive health services to thousands of the world's most vulnerable and marginalised people living in international refugee settings because it alleges that one of the organisations - UK based Marie Stopes International - supports coercive abortions and sterilisations in China. An offer of US$650,000 previously earmarked to support the work of the Reproductive Health for Refugees Consortium, which comprises six US based organisations and Marie Stopes International, has now been withdrawn, despite the fact that the US State Department freely acknowledges that it has no evidence to back its allegations that the organisation is involved in forced abortions or involuntary sterilisations. For its part, Marie Stopes International strongly refutes the allegations, claiming that its work in China is all about changing attitudes and introducing choices in family planning and reproductive health services. "Marie Stopes International has been pronounced guilty, without trial and in the face of clear evidence to the contrary produced both by a delegation of US senators hand picked by President George W Bush, and by a group of British MPs neither of which found any coercive practices in the China programme," said Patricia Hindmarsh, Marie Stopes International's Director of External Relations. "Marie Stopes International will survive this financial setback," added Ms Hindmarsh. "Sadly, it is the refugees themselves, in countries far removed from China, across Africa and other parts of Asia, whose health and lives will be placed at risk by this inequitable decision in pursuit of Mr Bush's ideological war on women." ends Note to editors: Copy of article in today's New York Times follows for additional information (or find at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/27/international/asia/27AIDS.html)