U.N. Conf on women's equality: US Demands "no abortion choice" in writing

[papau]

The 10 year review of the 1995 Beijing conference has 80 government ministers and thousands of other delegates from nearly 100 countries trying to focus on issues such as preventing HIV/AIDS, improving girls' education and halting sexual trafficking. The US has a higher priority - confirm that all agree that women do not have a right to choose abortion.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-women1mar01.story

THE WORLD
U.S. Wants Avowal Against Abortion
The issue may dominate a U.N. conference on women's equality, to organizers' dismay.
By Maggie Farley
Times Staff Writer

March 1, 2005

UNITED NATIONS — Ten years after a landmark U.N. women's conference in Beijing, thousands of delegates convened here Monday to review the world's progress toward equality for women. But the meeting was plunged into controversy when the U.S. insisted that delegates declare that women have no right to abortion.<snip>

But negotiators from Washington say it is equally important for delegates to put in writing that the session does not create any new human rights, such as the right to abortion.

"We'd like to join with other nations in reaffirming women's rights and empowerment," said Mark Lagon, deputy assistant secretary of State for international organization affairs. "The United States is looking for concrete recognition that those documents from 10 years ago do not create new human rights with the weight of a treaty or a right to an abortion. The U.S. believes that there is international consensus on that."

But Monday evening, only Egypt and Qatar supported the U.S. position. Most other delegations agreed that the Beijing plan of action did not imply a right to abortion and that they were wary of opening the document to reinterpretation. The U.S. representatives stood firm, signaling that a debate over the issue could dominate the week's discussions.

At the 1995 conference, negotiators agreed to treat abortion as a public health issue, and the platform said that it should be safe where it is legal and that women should not be punished for having one. It left legal decisions up to each country.

"This is a policy document. It's not a human rights convention," Kyung-wha Kang, the session's chairwoman, said of the Beijing platform and this week's proposed declaration to affirm it. "It should not be seen as creating any new human rights."<snip>

The U.S. has also proposed two resolutions. One aims to halt human trafficking and calls for a worldwide ban on prostitution. The other proposes reforming inheritance laws that favor sons, extending credit to women and allowing women to own property. <snip>

[TahitiNut]

1. Self-fulfilling prophecy: "They hate us for our freedoms."

Sadly, the implacable opponents of civil rights wish to export repressions they've yet been unable to give free rein in this country.