U.S. Isolated at Hemispheric Conference on Gender, Population

[coda]

U.S. Isolated at Hemispheric Conference on Gender, Population
Fri Mar 12, 8:29 AM ET Add World - OneWorld.net to My Yahoo!


Jim Lobe, OneWorld US

WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar 12 (OneWorld) - Health officials from all but one of the 40 countries of the Americas Friday reaffirmed their commitment to an international program on family planning and reproductive health program at a hemispheric population conference in Chile, leaving the United States isolated as the only nation to refuse to join the final communique.


By acclamation, the more than 300 participants at the Santiago Health Conference added language over U.S. objections that reaffirmed and expanded the so-called "Cairo Consensus," the program of action endorsed by 179 countries, including the U.S., at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The Consensus asserts that promoting women's reproductive and sexual rights and services is central to reducing poverty and promoting economic development.


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In its statement the U.S. delegation, headed by Lucy Tamlyn, objected to the procedures as well as the substance of the final document. "There are numerous statements in the declaration to which we cannot subscribe," said Tamlyn. "There are also significant omissions. Therefore the United States regretfully disassociates from the declaration."


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Three non-governmental groups also strongly criticized the administration's position at Santiago. The Center for Gender Equity, Feminist Majority, and Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) issued a joint statement critiquing the administration's decision--announced earlier this week--that it will not reaffirm the U.S. commitment to 1995 Beijing Platform of Action, a program adopted by a UN conference to promote the advancement of women throughout the world, would also isolate Washington from much of the rest of the world.


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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=655&e=20&u=/oneworld/4536814461079095349

[gula]

1. Unofrtunate, but sadly not surprising

[varun]

2. The Tali-Baptists (BushCo)

also voted against a human rights bill for Gay and Lesbian equality in the UN (along with mostly muslim nations).