The European Union (EU), in September 2015, following the UK, acknowledged that female war rape victims’ rights to medical care under the Geneva Conventions include abortion, irrespective of any restrictive abortion laws in war zones. Following this, the newly approved 2016 budget requires that EU humanitarian aid be provided “in accordance with international humanitarian law,” and without “discrimination or adverse distinction.” And, in a reference to the US Helms amendment, the budget mandates EU funds “not be subject to restrictions imposed by other partner donors.”

“Sexual violence is a devastating weapon in the war-torn areas, these women and girls are war wounded and should be treated equally,” said Sophie in ‘t Veld (Member of European Parliament, Netherlands, ALDE/ D66), during a speech on this budget language. “The EU is taking steps to ensure that EU humanitarian aid funds are not tainted by other donor countries – to force a girl enslaved by ISIS, kidnapped by Boko Haram or raped in the DRC to bear a child of her rapist, who may be, as a result, expelled from the community and condemned to poverty, is inhumane treatment.”