Commission on Status of Women,

 Above photo taken in Conf room 4 at the UN last day of meeting.

Commission on the Status of Women

61st session

Agreed Conclusions

“Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”

Below is the troublesome paragraph trying to promote abortion.

 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences, including universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes, and recognizing that human rights include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on all matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence, as a contribution to the fulfillment of their economic rights, independence and empowerment;

We got a text with:

 (1) only one para on SRHR, with only one reference to RR, properly qualified by the ICPD. This only includes abortion if it is legal in that country.

(2) no CSE (Comprehensive Sexuality Education , lessons in depravity )(3) no new rights for girls 

(4) no SOGI ( Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity ) 

(5) eleven mentions of family, and
(6) five explicit mentions of mother and motherhood.

.

On the family, we had some incredible language that got into the text, and our friends were able to de-link the family conversation with the SOGI conversation, which was the only way family language was allowed in. Some family phrases that got into the text include:

-          “an enabling family environment…contributes to development”-          “women and men make a great contribution to the welfare of their family”

-          “in particular women´s contribution to the home, including unpaid care and domestic work, which is still not adequately recognized, generates human and social capital essential for social and economic development”

-          “Strengthen laws and regulatory frameworks that promote the reconciliation and sharing of work and family responsibilities for women and men, including by designing, implementing and promoting family responsive legislation”

-          “Ensure that pregnant adolescents and young mothers, as well as single mothers, can continue and complete their education”

-          “bearing in mind the important role and responsibilities of, and challenges faced by fathers, including young fathers, in this regard”

-          “Recognize the social significance of maternity, paternity, motherhood, fatherhood and the role of parents in the upbringing of children”-          “recognize further that empowering girls requires their active participation in decision-making processes…with the active support and engagement of their parents, legal guardians, families…”

Above summary taken from ADF representative at the UN.

At the end of the meeting countries and groups of countries made reservations and interpretive statements that are to be included with the outcome document.
 1.       St Lucia – on behalf 0f 14 Carrabean countries – Early marriage to be view under the natural law.
2.       Yemen –also  on behalf of Sudan , Nigeria & Libya – They do not accept the abortion paragraph nor the term sexuality , no consensus reached  with these terms.
3.       Mauritania – all issues to be under Islamic law.
4.       Spain – on behalf of 28 countries in EU. SRHR  not strong enough. Wanted stronger human rights proponent.
5.       Argentia with  6 or 8 other countries in Latin America – Wanted stronger reference to SRH and Rights.
6.       Australia – With SRH & Rights needed more progress.NGOs appreciated. The delegates negotiated for 107 hours in the 2 week period.
7.       Iran – nothing in the document is accepted that is contrary to Iran’s national  laws and regulations.
8.       USA – Would have liked a reference to SOGI. On the SRH wording  is about equal access to health care. This document does not create any new rights nor a right to abortion. On Family planning the US has reverted to the Mexico City policy. On the Paris Climate change agreement the USA reserves on this.  There is no international right to development.  There was a very frosty silence in the room after this statement was delivered.
9.       France – along with several EU countries they lamented  the weak statements of SRH.
10.   Holy See . Reservations on  SRH, not to include abortion nor abortifacient drugs and devices. No new rights have been created. RR does not empower, sex education is the first responsibility of parents. Gender is not a social construct but biology , male and female.  Massive applauds from us for this beautiful reservation.
11.   Pakistan – Reserve on RR and FGM, own national laws to apply.
12.   Poland – SRH & Rights to be decided in a national capacity.
 Post Script.  The negotiations went on very late last Thursday night and I did not get to bed until 5.30am Friday. Was up at 9.30am and back to the UN. Then on Saturday morning I was up at 5am to get a flight to Tennessee to see friends for a weeks. I have a dreadful man cold and am bearing up as manfully as I can.
I fly back to New York this Friday for another week at the UN

Please pray that the Lord would give me strength.