PHA-Exchange> US threatens Cairo Program of Action of 1994

[Aviva]

Bush Government Threatens To Roll Back Women's Reproductive Rights
Petition

"As supporters of women's rights worldwide, we are deeply disturbed by the
statement made by a US delegate at the recent  Preparatory Meeting for the
forthcoming Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference that will take
place 11-17 December 2002 in Bangkok.
The US has threatened to withdraw from the Cairo Programme of Action of 1994
unless the words reproductive health services and reproductive rights are
taken out or changed. This is a shocking development which is a threat to
women's rights and women's health world wide.
We demand that the Cairo Program of Action that has been endorsed by 179
nations be upheld.
Reproductive health services and reproductive rights are essential human
rights. Reproductive rights and reproductive health services are integral to
the Cairo Program of Action.
If the US breaks their commitment to the United Nations and to the world
community, there will be disastrous consequences for women in all parts of
the world who are in need of safe and effective contraceptive and abortion
information and services.
The position that the Bush administration has taken sets back the efforts of
women's organizations by several decades and needs to be resisted.
We urge you to make your own statement of protest and send it to the US
administration, to the UN and to sign our petition on line at
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/USantiWO/petition.html

The petition will be presented to:
President Bush, President of the United States
Koffi Annan, Secretary General of the UN
and Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, head of the UNFPA

You can send a message of protest to :
George W. Bush: president at whitehouse.gov <mailto:president at whitehouse.gov>
Dick Cheney: vice.president at whitehouse.gov
<mailto:vice.president at whitehouse.gov>
And the US Speaker of the House, Mr. Hastert: speaker at mail.house.gov
with copies to
- Mrs. Suman Mehta, UNFPA: mehta at unfpa.org
- Mr. Koffi Annan, Secretary-General: un at un.org/inquiries at un.org
<mailto:inquiries at un.org>

Statement of Protest
Bush Government Threatens To Roll Back Women's Reproductive Rights
We the staff of the Coordination Office of the Women's Global Network for
Reproductive Rights, are shocked and deeply disturbed by the recent
statement reported to have been made by a US delegate at the recent
Preparatory Meeting for the forthcoming Fifth Asian and Pacific Population
Conference that will take place 11-17 December 2002 in Bangkok. The Bush
administration has threatened to withdraw from the 1994 Cairo Programme of
Action that was drawn at the UN International Conference on Population and
Development, held in Cairo in 1994, unless the words reproductive health
services and reproductive rights are taken out of the Cairo Programme of
Action. This is another in a series of steps taken by the US government in
recent years to withdraw from programmes that they believe promote abortion.
The terms reproductive health services and reproductive rights - figure in
the final declaration of the United Nation's Cairo Program of Action. This
marked a clear shift in population policy that was based on respect for the
rights of women as opposed to demographic goals. The declaration has since
been endorsed by 179 nations and has been applauded by the women's movement.
The Bush government's recent threat has startled members of other
delegations attending the Asia Pacific Population Conference. According to
UN officials, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian officials were quick to
criticize the proposal and argued that the shift in the US position would
undermine a global consensus reached on population policy.
The Dutch minister for development cooperation Ms. Agnes van Ardenne's
response to the US position was sharp and pointed. She said, "I think it is
disappointing and incredible. Poverty reduction will not be successful
without reproductive health and without women being able to make their own
choices". US Congressional Democrats and UN officials underscored these
concerns that the US position would undermine all family planning efforts.
As members of the international women and reproductive rights movement we
see the withdrawal of the US from the Cairo Programme of Action, as a step
that will take away the gains made by the women's movement over the past
decades. Women all over the world have a right to safe and effective
contraception and abortion information and services. This right is
fundamental to women's equality and empowerment and to the advancement of
society everywhere. By putting the right to reproductive health and
reproductive rights in question the US government signals a deeply
retrograde step that will not just reflect on democratic principles
supposedly upheld by the US government but also the position of women all
over the world.

Staff Coordination Office
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights