Women in Iraq, Syria need our help

The Oct. 3 opinion piece by Tala Haikal on The Hill’s Congress Blog (“ISIS and Sexual Slavery”) exposes the terrors perpetrated on women and girls in Iraq and Syria.

In addition to raising awareness and working to stop these horrendous acts, donor nations, particularly the United States, have a responsibility to help these women.

President Obama stated recently at the United Nations General Assembly, “Mothers, sisters, daughters have been subjected to rape as a weapon of war.”

At the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), we are committed to seeing Obama follow up his concern with executive action that allows post-rape care, including safe abortions, for women who become pregnant. 

The shocking events in Haikal’s op-ed lead us to one conclusion: immediate help for these women and girls is paramount. That help must include comprehensive healthcare and access to safe, voluntary abortion services. The United States should take the lead, and the president should use his executive authority to direct our government to help.

These women deserve no less.