Monday, March 07, 2005

 

Bush attacks women's rights

For all George Bush's courting of Europe, when it comes to women's rights he is closer to Iran and Syria than the EU. In 1995, representatives from 189 countries met in Beijing and agreed a major programme on women's equality and human rights - the Beijing platform for action. This statement was ambitious, and the UN commission on the status of women is currently meeting in New York to review its progress over the past decade.

The meeting was to publish a statement reaffirming international support for the platform for action. But the US has refused to support it unless it is amended to say that the platform does not create any new human rights or the right to abortion.

But it doesn't actually give the right to abortion. States are called on to "consider reviewing laws containing punitive measures against women who have undergone illegal abortions", but the platform is clear that "any measures or changes related to abortion within the health system can only be determined at the national or local level according to the national legislative process".

But that's not how the US is presenting it. Countries are being warned that failure to support the US amendment could allow the platform to be used to push through a "right to abortion" and take away the right of countries to determine their own laws. Activists are furious. Annette Lawson, of the European Women's Lobby, said the US is "simply trying to mislead the rest of the world" (link).


# posted by Jacob @ 3/07/2005 09:16:00 p.m.
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