Ireland last week appeared before the UN Human Rights Committee which monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The committee acknowledged in its third progress report on Ireland that much progress has been made, however it identifies about 19 areas where compliance should be improved reiterated its concern regarding the highly restrictive circumstances under which women can lawfully have an abortion in the State party. While noting the establishment of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, the committee regrets that the progress in this regard is slow. Irish Times report
This is yet another example of an ‘out of control’ UN committee operating beyond its mandate and instructing nations to adhere to its own agenda rather than the Covenant it is supposed to be monitoring. There is no reference to abortion anywhere in the ICCPR or any other legally binding international treaty. This is the type of action brings the UN and its agencies into disrepute
