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Paraguay the Latest County to be Pressured by United Nations to Legalize Abortion

NEW YORK, January 17, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United Nations Committee that oversees compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) last week pressured Paraguay to legalize abortion.

Paraguay, a South American country that is 90% Roman Catholic, has pro-life legislation protecting the right to life of unborn children. Maria Jose Argana Mateu, Minister of Paraguay’s Women’s Secretariat presented her compliance report to the UN committee of 23 experts from various countries.

A UN press release on the proceedings which took place January 14 notes that the committee was concerned about “criminal penalties for abortion under national law.”

According to the UN release, Ms. Salma Khan, a UN expert from Bangladesh, began the abortion inquisition stating, “According to the Convention, women were to be provided with full access to family planning services. Paraguay had three times more women in prison than the world average. Was that because of illegal abortions? Women seemed to be forced to seek abortion in the absence of normal family planning information. She requested the Government to reconsider the criminalization of abortion. That legislation should be amended.”

Ms. Silvia Pimentel, the committee vice-chair from Brazil followed with, “Complying with the Convention meant the Government must address maternal mortality and clandestine abortions. Did the Government have concrete strategies to comply with the Committee’s previous recommendations?”

Minister Mateu responded to Pimentel’s comment about maternal mortality by emphasizing that prenatal care and safe birthing techniques had been introduced by the Ministry of Health. She added that the problem of illegal abortions was tackled from “a prevention perspective.”

The committee expressed its displeasure with Mateu’s response. Committee chair, Ms. Rosario G. Manalo from the Philippines, indicating the Government’s approach and plan based on the “principle of prevention” was not effective.

Ms. Pramila Patten of Mauritius asked, “On abortion, did the Government envisage repealing the provisions that sanctioned women who performed abortion?”

See the UN press releases on Paraguay and Gabon
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/wom1477.doc.htm

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