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March 2, 2005
U.S. blames women’s groups for their anti-choice language at the UN
The U.S. administration has been sinking to new lows during the United Nations CSW. As I mentioned on Monday, the U.S. has proposed an amendment to CSW’s political declaration saying that reaffirming the Beijing Platform “does not create any new international rights and does not include the right to abortion.”
But instead of standing by their anti-choice actions, the U.S. has accused women’s advocacy groups of bringing up the abortion issue. The Associated Press notes that the U.S., specifically U.S. Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, is claiming that the proposed amendment was just a response to organizations’ attempts to “hijack the term ‘reproductive health services’ in the document and define it in as a guarantee of the right to abortion.”
And while Sauerbrey has said that the U.S. is not looking to reopen negotiations of the Beijing Platform, many women’s and human rights organizations know that this amendment is just an indication of the administration’s plan to scale back its support.
In fact, over 150 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have released a statement concerning the U.S.’s actions and the need to affirm the platform fully.
Thankfully the amendment needs the consensus of all delegations in order to be adopted (which is set to be discussed on Friday); the U.S. is taking no chances however, and has been busy lobbying other countries—particularly Latin American countries—for support.
Let’s be serious here, the U.S. administration has a clear anti-choice agenda at this meeting. Blaming their actions on organizations that have worked so hard to ensure women’s rights at the UN is just reprehensible.
Posted by Jessica at March 2, 2005 10:38 AM
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