On Thursday, furthering the Trump administration’s commitment not to promote abortion overseas, the US rejected a UN resolution on account of its abortion clause.
The resolution, which was proposed by the Canadian delegates to the 47-member Human Rights Council, stated that all women should have access to “comprehensive sexual and health-care services” including “safe abortion where such services are permitted by national law.”
Jason Mack, US First Secretary to the UN in Geneva, said in a statement to the UN’s Human Rights Council that although his country “strongly supports the spirit of this resolution and joins other members of this Council in condemning all acts of violence against women and girls,” it could not accept the abortion clause.
“We do not recognize abortion as a method of family planning, nor do we support abortion in our reproductive health assistance,” he added.
Imposing the death penalty on an unborn child on account of his father’s crime is not the proper response to violence against women. In rejecting the proposal, the US recognized this important point while also agreeing all violence against women must be condemned.
This follows President Trump’s announcement last month of a modernized Mexico City Policy called “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” which prohibits $8.8 billion in global health funds from going to organizations with provide or promote abortions in other countries.
Led by the former pro-life governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, the American embassy to the UN appears to be working hard to ensure that the US does not support any proposals or projects which threaten the lives of an unborn child anywhere around the world.
Photo credit: todd.vision via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
