Far-Right Launches Attack on UNICEF

[kayell]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=655&e=15&u=/oneworld/4536675041063021945

UNITED NATIONS (news - web sites) — A couple of years ago, a conservative organization called the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute produced a very contentious report claiming that the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) was complicit in China's forced abortion policy.


• UNICEF
• UNFPA Funding
• OneWorld on United Nations


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The report led directly to a White House decision in early 2002 to withhold the $34 million U.S. contribution to the fund that had already been appropriated by Congress. That a State Department investigative team went to China and decided the charges were unfounded didn't bother the Bush administration. The cut was made permanent, and efforts in Congress to restore some money this year were beaten back.


After succeeding in that campaign, the institute, which largely reflects Vatican (news - web sites) policy, is now laying the groundwork for an attack on UNICEF (news - web sites). The agency, it argues in a new report—The United Nations Children’s Fund: Women or Children First?—has been taken over by radical feminists, led by Carol Bellamy, the executive director.


Let's not be ambiguous. For those of us who have watched UNICEF evolve to grapple with the ugly world of illiteracy, AIDS (news - web sites) and abuse in which millions of children now live, this campaign against the agency is dangerous, intended to inflame and galvanize the lobby that opposes all abortions, preaches "abstinence-only" birth control and tries to block advances in women's rights at international conferences. That might not be much of a problem—since such thinking bucks world trends and modern development theory—were it not for the possibility that U.S. support for UNICEF could be put in jeopardy just as it was for the UNFPA.

more, always more

[MrBenchley]

1. What else is new?

I can remember hearing nutcases rant about "Trick or Treat for UNICEF" back in the 1950s....

[CO Liberal]

2. The John Birchers Have Been Attacking The UN For YEARS

Same shit, different day...........

[ant]

3. aarrggghhh!!

I realize this is a relatively minor point, but it always pisses me off: China DOES NOT HAVE a forced abortion policy. This is a lie, bullshit, not true, an attempt at blood libel, etc.

Why is a fairly mainstream news outlet reporting this as a given?

[qb]

4. In the 1970s we used to torment the token Reich-wingers on our block -

We would all separately ring their doorbell with a cheerful, "Trick or Treat for UNICEF!", forcing them to repeat their line, "We don't give money to communist children." Year after year...

[LionInWinter]

5. I belong to a listserve for parents who have adopted from China

and this came up a couple of weeks ago. It was greeted with a chorus of "Oh, thanks for telling me" and "They'll never see another dime from me".

It's really sad to see how gullible the sheeple are, especially those who "should" know better. If it's in print, it must be true

[Paschall]

6. You can get the straight dope in print, too

http://www.unicef.org

http://www.unfpa.org

The UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) has been particularly vocal in refuting ShrubCo's disinformation machine. Check out the archives of press conferences and statements from the director.

Welcome to DU, balrog99. Enjoy yourself! :hi: