In the on going push by UN agencies to create a human right
to abortion two side events held during the recently concluded 20th
session of the Human Rights Council focused on implementation of an anti life agenda.
Both events were arranged to focus on the UN Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994, which set out a controversial
twenty-year programme of Action to run from 1994-2014. Controversial because of
the blatant attempt at the time, to declare a human right to abortion and because of the
inclusion of new terminology such as references to “reproductive rights”.
Both meetings were arranged by the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA). The first “ICPD beyond 2014’ was held in conjunction with Finland
and Mozambique. The second, “Reproductive Health and Rights: Exploring Gaps and
New Paths” was held in conjunction with the NGO committee for the Commission on
the Status of Women (NGO CSW).
Both events were organized for the purpose of reviewing the
progress in the implementation of the “ sexual and reproductive rights” agenda,
identifying what has worked and how they can progress the anti life agenda with
a view to full implementation. Speakers at both meetings referred to the necessity
of identifying gaps from different perspectives and strengthening advocacy in
the implementation of the platform for action
Speakers at both side events lamented what they perceived as
the failure of the international community to include language on reproductive
rights in the outcome document for Rio +20 conference on sustainable
development. The main opposition to UNFPA’s plans according to the
speakers comes from conservatives, religions in general and the Holy See in
particular.
The other focus of the discussion was how to overcome
resistance to the reproductive rights agenda and to recapture what was described as the energy and
success generated by their victories at the ICPD in 1994 and since then. So
after an analysis of what led to their recent losses during the RIO + 20
process, they outlined ways to regroup and to move their agenda forward.
The world, according to the speakers, has changed
significantly and dramatically over the last 17 years. A Global Review is under
way to guarantee what was termed
“the unfinished business of the ICPD”. Nations will be asked to respond
to a comprehensive questionnaire, a Global Survey, to determine a new
actionable set of recommendations for countries and communities to implement.
As the ICPD twentieth anniversary approaches, the world’s
nations are being asked as a starting point to reaffirm the commitments made in
1994, with the launch of the strategy “ICPD Beyond 2014”. The ICPD Beyond 2014
review is aimed at adding to the existing agenda without opening it up and by indentifying
what works best, how to respond to new challenges by making new
recommendations. The review is designed to involve communities, NGOs, young people
and governments.
The process will culminate in a special session of the
United Nations General Assembly, which will be held in September 2014 to take
action on the recommendations and survey results. These recommendations will be
an important part of the discussions when world leaders meet in 2015 to adopt a
new human rights and development agenda.
