There are few times that are more crucial for the protection of girls than right now in the U.S. Most state legislatures are in session debating new bills that, if passed, would help protect girls from female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage throughout the nation.
We are hard at work pushing life-saving legislation forward in more than a dozen states across the country. Just last week, thanks to your support, our legislative advocacy came to fruition whenย Indiana’s Governor signed into law our model bill to ban FGM.
The fight to end child marriage in the U.S. is at a crossroads: 12 states are debating bills that would ban child marriages.ย But, weโre running out of time to get these bills passed.ย Soon, some states will end their sessions and close the book on legislation for 2021โso we have to advocate even harder.ย To explain what is at stake this legislative session and how you can help protect girls in your state, we spoke with Brooke Bumgarner, AHA Foundationโs Program Development Coordinator. You can read what she had to sayย
here.
To help us during this critical time in the year, one of our gracious donors, Bill Miller, has pledged to give $15,000 in matching gift funds if we raise that same amount from our other supporters.ย We need your support to unlock these funds,ย
George.ย Please, if you can,ย
give nowย and your impact will go twice as far in our fight today.
While advocating for the passage of life-saving legislation is urgent, we canโt forget about our other long-standing battlesโspecifically, the fight to protect free speech. In our blog,ย
Flemming Rose on Hate Speech, Self Censorship and Emerging Totalitarian Impulses Within Today’s Democracies,
ย you can read what it means to be on the front line of the fight for freedom of speech. Since 2006, when he published several controversial cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad, Rose has received threats against his life as well as international criticism. Still, he is a steadfast defender of free speech and his decision to publish the cartoons.
Help us secure $15,000ย in matching gift funds and make an immediate impact in both of these fights. Every gift, small or large, matters. I hope youโll join us.
Thank you,
