Congressional Resolution Criticizes UN for Pressuring Ireland to OK Abortions
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 26, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A pro-life congressman has introduced a resolution asking Congress to condemn two United Nations committees for trying to pressure Ireland into legalizing abortions. Rep. Thad McCotter, a Michigan Republican, is behind the resolution to rebuke the UN for coercing the Irish people.
McCotter introduced the resolution along with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Chris Smith of New Jersey.
The three lawmakers "condemn the efforts of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to pressure and coerce the democratically elected government of the Republic of Ireland to reduce or eliminate its constitutionally established abortion restrictions."
It complains that members of Human Rights Committee and the CEDAW operate without any formal oversight and are entirely unaccountable to the United Nations and its member states.
It also accuses the members of the committees of trying to change the meaning of and text of the CEDAW treaty to make it appear to support abortion and require its legalization.
Citing five occasions on which the UN pressured Ireland to legalize abortions, the resolution also says the UN has pressured dozens of other nations as well.
"The established pattern of pressure and attempted coercion from the Human Rights Committee and the CEDAW against the democratically elected government of the Republic of Ireland to change its laws restricting abortion represents a microcosm of the efforts of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty System (with the present exception of the Committee on Migrant Workers) to pressure and coerce over 80 states to change their laws restricting abortions," it says.
The document also calls into question the use of taxpayer funds to finance United Nations activities.
It also "urges countries with restrictions on the practice of abortion to remain steadfast in the time-honored traditions and verities of their cultures, which recognize that every human being, born or unborn, has an inherent right to life, despite the pressure and coercion by the members of the United Nations."
The non-binding resolution was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and there is no guarantee the pro-abortion Democrats in charge of the committee or the House will take it up for debate or a vote.
David Quinn, president of the Dublin-based Iona Institute told the Friday Fax, a publication of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, that he is pleased with the document.
"Congressman McCotter deserves congratulations for bringing this to public attention. The bullying behavior of the UN towards countries which have pro-life laws, such as Ireland, is deplorable, unconscionable and needs to be brought to an end," he said.
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