Preached today

Spoke today on the negative aspects of the U.N. and the E.U. 

Got a good response.

At the Quinta

Here I am at the Quinta at another Foundations conference organised by Steve Maltz.
Will be here until Friday.

Result of last UN meeting

Commission on Population and Development

Forty-ninth session

Strengthening the demographic evidence base for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The title of this years CPD seem quite innocent. However there were the usual battles over sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights etc etc, that took up most of the negotiations.

The relevant paragraphs follow.

PP18. Recognizing also that health is a precondition for economic and social development, and aware that sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights are central to the realization of social justice and to the achievement of global, regional and national commitments for sustainable development, 

PP19. Recalling the specific challenges faced by women and girls in humanitarian settings, including an increased risk of physical and sexual violence, reduced access to essential health care services, including sexual and reproductive health, education and other social services, and recognizing the importance of high quality data collection in humanitarian settings with respect for confidentiality,

OP7. Stresses that of all the administrative data, health-related data are among the most critical to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights and urges Member States and relevant stakeholders to strengthen health management information systems;

OP24. Urges Governments to strengthen health systems, in particular health information systems, to promote physical and mental health and well-being, and extend life expectancy for all, achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care to ensure that no one is left behind; to accelerate the progress made to date in reducing newborn, child and maternal mortality by ending all such preventable deaths before 2030; to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education; to accelerate the pace of progress made in fighting malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, Ebola, Zika and other communicable diseases and epidemics, including by addressing growing anti-microbial resistance and the problem of neglected diseases affecting developing countries; to prevent and treat non-communicable diseases, including behavioural, developmental and neurological disorders, which constitute a major challenge for sustainable development;

There was a very good sovereignty clause :

OP2. Also 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;

The reservations of the Holy See are below:

Madame Chair,

My delegation would like to thank you, the Bureau and the Secretariat, and particularly our co-facilitators for the hard work together with delegations on the outcome document.  

My delegation is convinced that only a truly human-centered approach to development can function as the authentic starting point for policy on population and development. Through its vast global network of institutions, the Holy See is committed to serving the poorest and most vulnerable among us and to achieving the integral human development of all. This includes physical, social, and spiritual development – focusing on the most essential factors for development, including: quality and affordable education and health care, access to food and nutrition, water and sanitation, the rights of migrants, as well as policies that support the family as the fundamental and most basic contributors of this development.

While we recognize the importance of strong demographic evidence in the achievement of these ends and in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, we regret that the vast majority of our discussions as well as the resulting resolution adopted with this original purpose, did not focus on demographic evidence but rather on a number of controversial issues and selected rights instead of the real development priorities consistently elaborated by the majority of delegations present.

In this regard, the Holy See, in conformity with its nature and particular mission, wishes to express its position on some of the concepts used therein:

1.                 Regarding the terms “sexual and reproductive health”, “sexual and reproductive health-care services”, and "reproductive rights”, the Holy See considers these terms as applying to a holistic concept of health. These terms embrace, each in their own way, the person in the entirety of his or her personality, mind and body. They should also be understood to foster the achievement of personal maturity in sexuality and in the mutual love and decision-making that characterize the conjugal relationship between a man and a woman in accordance with moral norms. The Holy See does not consider abortion, access to abortion, or access to abortifacients as a dimension of these terms.

2.                 In addition, the Holy See reiterates its statement and reservations as set out clearly and more fully in the Report of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, and the Report of the 1995 Fourth World Conference and their respective follow-up Conferences. In particular, my delegation understands, in accordance with the ICPD 1.15, that no new rights or human rights are created, that recourse to abortion may never be considered as family planning (7.24), that abortion is a matter to be determined in accordance with national legislation (8.25).

3.                 With reference to "gender" and to related terms, the Holy See understands these terms to be grounded in the biological sexual identity and difference that is male or female.

4.                 With respect to “education” or “information” on “sexuality”, or the collection of data from children, youth and adolescents in this regard, the Holy See reiterates the “primary responsibility” and the "prior rights" of parents, including their right to religious freedom, when it comes to the education, protection and upbringing of their children, as enshrined, inter alia, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In that sense, the Holy See wishes to underline the centrality of the family, “the natural and fundamental group unit of society,” as well as the role and rights and duties of parents to educate their children.

In this regard, the Holy See requests that its reservations on paragraphs PP 18, 19 and OP 7 and 24 to be formally entered into the record of this meeting.

Thank you Madam Chair

I agree with the statement of the Holy See as seen above. I must be the greatest Evangelical admirer of the Holy See in the world.

Nigeria

Right to Left , Amb Sarki , me , Phillip Anderson , Prof. Collett , students

The whole gang.

Yesterday we had a great meeting with Amb. Sarki from Nigeria , in Nigeria House. He was very generous in giving the students from St Thomas University a whole hour of his time.
Negotiations went on until 9pm last night. Today there will be a chairman's text. 

Sexual Rights Data Base

Yesterday I attended a side event where a sexual rights data base was released. This effort was done by some Canadian NGOs. The side event was sponsored by Canada and the Netherlands.

There is no agreement at the UN on Sexual Rights. This term does not appear in any negotiated documents from the General Assembly.

See :

http://sexualrightsdatabase.org/#page/welcome

Indonesian briefing of students from St. Thomas School of law

Mr Masni Eriza from Mission of Indonesia with students and Prof Collett second from left at back.

Comment by Prof. Teresa Collett

Students from the University of St. Thomas School of Law (MN) and the master’s degree program in Catholic Studies attended the 49^th meeting of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development. Their participation as representatives of various prolife NGOs is part of the requirements for the International Law and Catholic Social Thought course offered by the university.  The course was developed as part of curricular initiative for the Pro-life Center at the University of St. Thomas.  Prior to attending the UN meeting students study international law regarding human rights and the creation of binding legal obligations through treaties and customary international law. The role of the UN in world affairs is explored as are the teachings of the Catholic Church on human rights and the international community.  St. Thomas students have often subsequently served as interns to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See (the Vatican where they act as staff to the members of the mission and perform responsibilities such as monitoring the actions of U.N. bodies and representing the Holy See in various meetings.

University of St. Thomas students 

 

At the UN

Am at the moment at the Commission on Population & Development, please pray that we would have a positive effect on the outcome document this week.