Am about to fly back to Scotland just now.
We fought the good fight last week.
I will be home for a week then head down to London to do some work there .
God bless
Peter Smith
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Small report on CPD 46
Commission
on Population and Development – 2013
#CPD46
Pro-Life analysis of final outcome document.
As always we feel quite depressed after any UN
negotiations. However upon mature reflection after the event it is not as dark
as we imagines. This is the case with the 46th session of the CPD.
Relevant
paragraphs relating to sexual and
reproductive health and reproductive rights ( SRHR )
PP11.
Recognizing that the full
implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development and the key actions for its further implementation,
including those related to sexual and
reproductive health and reproductive rights, which would also contribute to
the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action[1],
as well as those on population and development, education and gender equality,
are integrally linked to global efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve
sustainable development, and that population dynamics are all-important for
development,
PP29. Recognizing also that young
people, including young migrants, are particularly vulnerable to HIV
infection because of social and economic factors and other inequities,
including stigma and discrimination, gender-based and sexual violence, gender
inequality and violations, and lack of
accurate information on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and
access to sexual and reproductive health, including HIV-related services,
PP32. Recognizing also that in order to achieve their full potential
for economic and social development, migrants need to have access to vital
registration services and relevant documentation, education, vocational
training, housing, productive employment, and social and health services, including
sexual and reproductive health services, with due regard for applicable laws
and eligibility requirements,
OP30. Recognizes that migrants and
displaced persons in many parts of the world have limited access to health care, including for sexual and reproductive
health, and face specific threats to their reproductive health and rights,
and calls upon Governments to provide services that are particularly
sensitive to the needs of individual women and adolescents and responsive
to their often powerless situation, with particular attention to those who are
victims of sexual violence;
OP31. Further calls upon Member
States to intensify efforts to provide migrants with access to health and
social services, including sexual and
reproductive health services, information and education, and access to services
for the prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS and other communicable or
non-communicable diseases, and for the care and support of persons living with
these conditions; as well as to implement measures to prevent violence,
including sexual violence, and address the consequences by providing, inter
alia, emergency contraception, and safe
abortion in circumstances where such
services are permitted by the national law;
Sovereignty
paragraph
OP3. Further reaffirms the sovereign
right of each country to implement the recommendations of the Programme of
Action or other proposals in the present resolution, consistent with national
laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and
ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity
with universally recognized international human rights;
Note – The sovereignty paragraph
is very strong and was re-emphasised by Russia in their reservations. There is
little in this to claim any right to abortion.
Reservations
Egypt
– Speaking for the Arab group said
that they were unhappy that there was an over emphasis on sexual and reproductive
health and reproductive rights ( SRHR) and not enough emphasis on the real need
of migrants for jobs , shelter , accommodation etc. He stresses the importance
of the national sovereignty paragraph ( OP3 ).
Nigeria
– Speaking for the 34 countries of the
African group and complained like the Arab group that there was too much
prominence given to SRHR and too little mention of food , education and
employment needs of migrants. Mentioned the need to interpret all in the light
of ICPD.
Pro-Life Countries
– The following countries gave excellent pro-life reservations and asked for
these to be placed in the record of the meeting – Sudan , Qatar , Poland , Hungary , Chile , Honduras , Malta, Bangladesh
and the Holy See.
Pro-abortion countries
– The following liked the SRHR language – Mexico , USA, Costa Rica, Norway and Brazil
Comprehensive Sexuality
Education - There were
two references to this in the previous draft , but both were deleted , this is
a considerable victory , as there was support from the Arab abd African groups
as well as the Holy See for this deletion.
Sexual orientation and
gender identity (
SOGI ) – The six references to SOGI in the previous document ( Rev 2 ) were all
deleted. These people made no “ progress” at this meeting.
Summary –
We would have preferred not to have the five paragraphs on SRHR , but the
sovereignty paragraph was strong. The Arab and African groups both made strong
statements on the unbalanced nature of the final text and complained about SRHR
being too prominent , and more basic things like education , housing , jobs etc
should have been given more space. This
was a large part of our campaign and was quite successful. It was good that
comprehensive sexuality education was deleted along with SOGI references
There
is little in this document to build toward a right to abortion. This document
is not a consensus document in many areas especially abortion . The number of
reservations from two major country groups and nine specific countries is proof
of this.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Bully Girls at IPPF attacking Nigerian Amb Joy Ogwu
The e-mail , below , is from Doris Mpoumou of IPPF , to Nigerian NGOs so that they could attcked Amb Ogwu . Amb Ogwu has a good delegate in negotiations just now who is opposing the radiucal sexual rights agenda of the West.
If you would like to help please tweet on #cpd46 #srhr to support Amb Ogwu and the other pro-life countries of the world.
25.4.2013
Please circulate for endorsement. We
need to send it to her this evening .
Thanks, Doris
Thanks, Doris
-----
Dear Ambassador Ogwu,
We commend you for the leadership role that Nigeria has taken in advancing women's rights within the United Nations. We are particularly proud of your efforts, as the first chair of UN Women, to promote gender equality and women's empowerment. As you know, achieving gender equality and empowerment of women depend on the full realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
As a result, we are writing to express our concern about the position taken by Nigeria during the 46th Session of the Commission on Population and Development. We are particularly concerned about the fact that Nigeria has called for the bracketing of all language around sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The government of Nigeria has reported to CRC that the maternal mortality rate is estimated to be 800/100,000 live births (2009). According to a recent Lancet study (2010), Nigeria has the second highest number of maternal deaths in the world, accounting for more than 10% of maternal deaths worldwide. The study further showed that Nigeria's maternal mortality ratio has substantially increased between 1990 and 2008. (2010) Also, the 2008 National Demographic Health Survey found that among women aged 15 to 49, girls between 15 and 19 were the least likely to know of a contraceptive method.
As a signatory to Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of women in Africa, we trust that your government will commit to a positive resolution that reaffirm women's rights, gender equality and women's empowerment. We stand ready to work with you to ensure that Nigeria continues to serve as leader in advancing sexual and reproductive rights and health within the United Nations.
Sincerely,
Doris Mpoumou | International Advocacy Officer International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR)
125 Maiden Lane, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10038 | tel 212 214 0275 | fax +1 212 248 4221 email dmpoumou@ippfwhr.org<mailto:jban@ippfwhr.org> | skype dmpoumou.ippfwhr| web www.ippfwhr.org<http://www.ippfwhr.org>
[cid:image001.png@01CE411B.3F009BD0]<http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Planned-Parenthood-Western-Hemisphere-Region/85569513068> [cid:image002.png@01CE411B.3F009BD0] <http://twitter.com/#%21/IPPF_WHR> [cid:image003.png@01CE411B.3F009BD0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/IPPFWHR>
From choice, a world of possibilities.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Another flyer
Western Obsession with Sex Gets even
worse
Don’t let sexual and reproductive
rights activists
hijack the CPD document by pushing aside the
real needs of migrants!
Migrants need:
Food and Shelter
Employment
Good Medical Care
Family Reunification
Education and Training Opportunities
Yet the current CPD draft ( Rev 2 ) increases
the references
“sexual” or
“sexuality” from 33 to 36 times
“sexual and reproductive health” from 12 to 13 times
“sexual orientation” from 5 to 6 times
“gender identity”
from 5 to 6 times
“Once again the sexual agenda of the first world is trumping
the NEEDS of the third world… My mother tells me
that not even once were her sexual and reproductive health or sexual and
reproductive rights a concern.”
. . . . an immigrant to the US
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