NCJW Heartened by Defunding of Abstinence-Only Programs in President’s Budget
May 12, 2009, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is heartened by the defunding of abstinence-only programs in the FY 2010 budget. A newly proposed teen pregnancy prevention program is promising and needs to be part of an expanded vision of comprehensive sex education and disease prevention to be effective. NCJW President Nancy Ratzan released the following statement:
"NCJW is pleased that federal money for abstinence-only programs has finally been eliminated. Abstinence-only programs have been proven, again and again, ineffective. They fail to provide students with the critical information and education needed to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases, and make responsible life decisions.
"Further, abstinence-only programs often provide inaccurate information and promote one religious viewpoint about marriage, sex, and procreation to all students, regardless of their individual religious traditions. Additionally, abstinence-only programs, by failing to provide comprehensive sex education, ignore the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered young people, sexually active young people, and young people who are or have been the victims of sexual violence.
"In their place, President Obama has proposed an initiative to prevent teen pregnancy. Its promise to use evidence-based approaches is a welcome and essential change; however, the program as described is too limited in scope. Pregnancy prevention must be part of comprehensive, age-appropriate, and medically accurate sex education for all young people. While teen pregnancy is a core concern, programs must also address sexually transmitted infections, the efficacy of contraceptive methods, the need for family communication, the development of negotiating skills around sex, and the adverse impact of alcohol and drug use on responsible decision making about sex, among other issues.
"We look forward to working with the President and Congress to expand the vision of this initiative to make sure our young people are empowered to make responsible life decisions."
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. Plan A: NCJW's Campaign for Contraceptive Access aims to secure and protect access to contraceptive information and options. A community-based, proactive national campaign, Plan A is firmly rooted in the belief that such access is necessary for women's well-being and equality.
Contact:
Emily Alfano
202 296 2588 x5; emily@ncjwdc.org