Report: Womens Rights Get Downgraded in State Department Report
https://www.thedailybeast.com/report-womens-rights-get-downgraded-in-state-department-report?ref=home
1. PRIORITIES
6 hours ago
Report: Womens Rights Get Downgraded in State Department Report
[Report: Womens Rights Get Downgraded in State Dept. Report]
Muhammad Hamed/Reuters
State Department officials have reportedly been instructed to shorten passages on womens rights and discrimination in an upcoming annual human rights report, Politico reports, citing current and former officials. The directive, thought to stem from a top aide to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, reportedly targets passages in the report that traditionally focus on family planning issues, including womens access to contraceptives and birth control. Another section detailing racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination will also be cut down, according to the report. The move comes amid concerns over what critics say are lackluster efforts by the Trump administration to stand up for human rights, particularly womens rights. This sends a clear signal that women's reproductive rights are not a priority for this administration, and that it's not even a rights violation we must or should report on, one current State Department official told Politico. It was not immediately clear how drastic the cuts would be, but a State Department spokesperson said the changes were in the interests of clarity.