From April 10-14, three DU students joined 200 activists in Washington D.C. to lobby their state’s representatives to make international family planning a priority as part of Population Connection’s annual advocacy event, Capitol Hill Days, according to the event’s press release.

According to its website, Population Connection is a grassroots political organization dedicated to stabilizing international population growth by empowering women and lobbying governments to fund birth control. Population Connection hosts Capitol Hill Days, which strive to involve young activists and help them make their voices heard.
“This year’s Capitol Hill Days will bring together participants from 31 states and campuses such as Ohio State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Denver,” said the event’s press release.

DU students Diego Pons, Emily Thomas and Jenea Covington attended the event to lobby Colorado state representatives and they brought back positive reviews of their experience.

“It was a great learning experience for me. I’m very interested in the political side of activism,” said Thomas, a senior international studies major from Fort Collins, Colorado. “I truly believe that with a lot of the things that I care about, not just this issue but a lot of other social and environmental sustainability issues, the problem is in addressing a fundamental political imbalance.”

According to Rebecca Harrington, the national field director for Population Connection, this year’s Capitol Hill Days was the 17th annual event. Brian Dixon, senior vice president for media and government relations for Population Connection, explained that Capitol Hill Days is an important event for addressing U.S. investment in international family planning.

“Without real investment in family planning around the world, every problem we face will be more difficult to solve. And Congress needs to hear from voters about this issue because nothing motivates politicians like pressure from voters,” said Dixon.

Capitol Hill Days began when student activists arrived in D.C. on April 10 and gathered for the welcome reception. At the reception, the first Annual “Empower Her, Empower Humanity Award,” was presented to Senator Barbara Boxer. According to the event’s website website, Boxer earned the award for her years of work advocating for women’s health.

On April 11, students attended information sessions to learn more about some of the issues the event sought to address, such as the Helms Amendment Text and the Global Gag Rule.

Thomas explained that, “The Global Gag Rule bars U.S. family planning aid to foreign non-governmental organizations that use even non-U.S. funds to provide safe, legal abortions; provide counseling on abortions; offer referrals for abortions; or support legal abortions as a matter of policy in their own country.”
Later, attendees listened to the keynote address, “Why Family Planning is Important for Sustainable Development,” delivered by Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Founder and CEO of Conservation through Public Health.

On April 12, Capitol Hill Days attendees went through advocacy training and presentation training to prepare to lobby their respective state representatives on Capitol Hill. According to Thomas and Pons, advocates were advised to make three requests of their state representatives: the first was that a billion dollars be allocated from the U.S. budget to be spent on funding international family planning services like birth control. The second was that, of the billion dollars allocated to family planning, 65 million dollars be spent to fund the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The third was a request that state representatives oppose the Global Gag Rule.

Pons, doctoral geography student from Guatemala, appreciated his experience at Capitol Hill Days and the chance to lobby politicians in Washington, D.C.

“I think [lobbying Colorado State Representatives] was awesome. I think it was an amazing experience and it was easier than I thought it would be in terms of how well representatives treated us,” said Pons.
In closing remarks, both Pons and Thomas mentioned that the Capitol Hill Days event is an amazing opportunity that is open to students and should not be passed up.