(Washington, D.C.— C-Fam) In a recent meeting of government officials and civil society groups, the UN committee on women begged for money and at the same time faced sharp criticism for its longtime promotion of abortion. Even the Vatican, not a state party to the women’s rights convention, joined the criticism.

Quite remarkably, while the committee acknowledged that “motherhood is an important contribution” by women to families and societies, it said “many women are compelled into motherhood” by, among other things, the criminalization of abortion.

It goes on to recommend that all states party to its associated treaty, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), “adopt measures to decriminalize abortion and ensure affordable access to comprehensive abortion care.”

The delegate from the Holy See strongly objected to this. Acknowledging that the Holy See has not ratified CEDAW, but seeks to participate in a constructive spirit, “The expression abortion care is profoundly misleading, and it seeks to normalize the deliberate termination of innocent human life by presenting it as health care.”

“Such terminology cannot obscure the fundamental reality that abortion entails the destruction of an unborn human person, nor can it transform abortion into an internationally recognized human right,” the delegate continued.

The Holy See also questioned the committee chair’s assertion that the treaty is a “living instrument,” pointing out that this is inconsistent with the text of the treaty itself as well as the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Other objections included the committee’s insistence that religious texts be interpreted in light of CEDAW and the recommendation that governments “implement programs on gender studies, and mandatory sexual and reproductive health and rights education at all levels of the education system.”

The delegate of Egypt also pushed back on the abortion references....

Read the entire article at C-Fam.

(Washington, D.C.— C-Fam) In a recent meeting of government officials and civil society groups, the UN committee on women begged for money and at the same time faced sharp criticism for its longtime promotion of abortion. Even the Vatican, not a state party to the women’s rights convention, joined the criticism.

Quite remarkably, while the committee acknowledged that “motherhood is an important contribution” by women to families and societies, it said “many women are compelled into motherhood” by, among other things, the criminalization of abortion.

It goes on to recommend that all states party to its associated treaty, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), “adopt measures to decriminalize abortion and ensure affordable access to comprehensive abortion care.”

The delegate from the Holy See strongly objected to this. Acknowledging that the Holy See has not ratified CEDAW, but seeks to participate in a constructive spirit, “The expression abortion care is profoundly misleading, and it seeks to normalize the deliberate termination of innocent human life by presenting it as health care.”

“Such terminology cannot obscure the fundamental reality that abortion entails the destruction of an unborn human person, nor can it transform abortion into an internationally recognized human right,” the delegate continued.

The Holy See also questioned the committee chair’s assertion that the treaty is a “living instrument,” pointing out that this is inconsistent with the text of the treaty itself as well as the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Other objections included the committee’s insistence that religious texts be interpreted in light of CEDAW and the recommendation that governments “implement programs on gender studies, and mandatory sexual and reproductive health and rights education at all levels of the education system.”

The delegate of Egypt also pushed back on the abortion references....

Read the entire article at C-Fam.