Pro-abortion NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations] petitioned UN officials to officially mark and designate September 28 as ‘UN International Safe Abortion Day’.
September 28 is a date that has been used by pro-abortion activists to protest pro-life laws and stage events promoting abortion since 1990.
The Open Letter states that the purpose of an official UN day for so-called ‘safe abortion’ is “to send a strong signal to the international community and to all our governments, with a simple but highly symbolic statement of support for safe abortion.”
The letter is filled with pro-abortion falsehoods and arguments.
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received his letter in person, delivered by Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi from South Africa, the Special Envoy on Gender of the African Development Bank. The letter was also addressed to the heads of UN Women, UN Development Programme, World Health Organization, UN Population Fund, UN Children’s Fund, UNAIDS, and UNESCO.
The Open Letter acknowledges that September 28 activities include
“campaigns for abortion law reform, clarification of the law and/or implementation of existing law, calls for increased access to safe abortion methods and services, training of providers…
These activities primarily take place in the overwhelming majority of UN Member States whose sovereign laws do not allow abortion on demand but restrict abortion knowing that it can cause physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual harm to the woman and that it is never safe for the child whose life these governments often seek to protect.
As reported in the PNCI June newsletter, the Open Letter, organized by the International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion, was to be delivered on July 4 but due to lack of support delivery was delayed until this month. Signers of the letter include 430 organizations and individuals from 73 countries and reveal key pro-abortion agitators whose lobby work at the UN has failed to advance the pro-abortion agenda.
Many of those supporting the letter are affiliated with leading pro-abortion organizations including Marie Stopes International, IPPF, Ipas and associated organizations that work on advancing radical aspects of ‘sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)’.
Organizations and individuals from the US made up the largest block of support. Their comments demonstrate tired pro-abortion verbiage including that by Marge Berer who coordinated the effort for the International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion:
“Safe abortion is an essential health service for women. Would anyone today deliberately withhold effective HIV treatment or safe contraception from people who need them? Why, then, is it still acceptable that safe abortion is being withheld from so many women and girls with unwanted pregnancies?”
PNCI notes that if the UN were to designate a day to support the actions of pro-abortion NGOs to overturn laws on abortion it would demonstrate contempt and disdain for sovereign laws of Member States and for parliamentarians who are tasked with the responsibility of passing laws on abortion. In addition, it would be conflict with the ICPD Programme of Action which states, “Any measures or changes related to abortion within the health system can only be
LifeNews.com Note: Marie Smith is the director of the Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues.
