Ottawa, September 4, 2002 -- Katherine McDonald, Executive Director of Action Canada for Population for Population and Development (ACPD), said today, "If there is one victory to be claimed at the WSSD, it is that women's sexual and reproductive rights have been safeguarded. ACPD, a small Canadian NGO, mobilized non-governmental organizations around the world to protect women's rights, and our efforts have been successful. The WSSD text now explicitly makes the links between women's sexual and reproductive rights and sustainable development."
In Johannesburg, women's rights to safe motherhood, including contraception, reproductive health services, and safe abortion, [and protection against forced and/or coerced acts e.g. circumcision, &c.] were saved during the final hour of intense negotiations. The document, as of Monday, did not balance reference to national laws, and cultural and religious values with assurances of basic human rights for all, without discrimination on any basis. "Up until the last minute, we did not know whether we could win," said McDonald.
The battle for inclusion of longstanding UN agreements protecting women's rights intensified during the May preparatory meeting in Bali (PrepCom IV). Opposition from the United States, the Vatican and some Islamic nations led to the move to exclude human rights language which would guarantee women's sexual and reproductive rights.
Following the Bali meeting, ACPD issued an Action Alert to its national and international colleagues, and wrote to Prime Minister Chrétien expressing grave concern, urging Canada to take the lead to protect women's rights. Canada took up the challenge, and led the fight to ensure that human rights language was inserted in the document. After weeks of negotiations, victory was achieved on this last remaining contentious issue.
"This one victory in Johannesburg represents one step in a long battle to ensure that women throughout the world enjoy basic human rights," said McDonald. "Women should have the right to have a safe pregnancy and delivery, to choose when and if to have children, and to choose their sexual partners without pressure or discrimination. ACPD congratulates Canada for taking a leadership role in direct opposition to the Bush administration, who have systematically bowed to the wishes of the conservative right."
ACPD mobilizes public support for international population and development issues. It focuses on the inter-relationships between population growth and structure, the environment, over-consumption, poverty, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equity and equality, human rights, migration, and economic and other development issues. ### Source: Johanne Fillion, tel: (613) 562-0880 ext. 228, cell. (613) 852-8392 NOTE: For further information, please visit ACPD's WSSD section at http://www.acpd.ca.
Suki Beavers Senior Advisor, Human Rights Action Canada for Population and Development Suite 300, 260 rue Dalhousie St. Ottawa. Ontario, Canada, K1N 7E4