Creation of New U.S. Ambassador on Global Women's Issues

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The Obama administration has just created a new position entitled U.S. Ambassador at Large on Global Women's Issues. Meredith Larson, director of Amnesty International's Stop Violence Against Women campaign, stated, "The creation of this position sends a strong message to the world that the United States, in its deliberations on foreign policy and foreign aid, will give top priority to issues that affect women."

Meredith went on to say, for several years Amnesty has been advocating for this position in the State Department in order to focus on women's issues worldwide, especially violence against women and girls. Violence and abuse affect an estimated one in three women in the world, according to Meredith.

Ensuring that women can exercise their reproductive choice without intimidation, harassment, obstacles and any form of violence should be high on the list of priorities for the new Ambassador. Anti-choice activists have already become more vocal since the November election in the U.S., according to RH Reality Check, and there has been an increase in the harassment of clinics in our country.

The population of American incarcerated women have many obstacles in obtaining abortions, according to a study published in the March 2009 issue of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Undocumented immigrant women in federal detention facilities also have difficulties in terminating pregnancies.

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