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TORONTO, October 10, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United Nations has declared October 11, 2012 as the world’s first International Day of the Girl Child.

The day was established by the UN at the behest of the Canadian government, spearheaded by Status of Women Minister Rona Ambrose, with the support of Plan Canada, a branch of the Plan International development agency (originally Foster Parents Plan).

According to the Status of Women Canada website the day was established because “girls throughout the world face higher rates of violence, poverty and discrimination” and that “there is a growing recognition around the world that support for girls and their basic human rights is key for healthy communities.”

However Gwen Landolt of REAL Women of Canada pointed out that the ultimate violence and discrimination faced by girls is the destruction of pre-born girls by sex-selective abortion, which deprives them of the basic human right to life.

“It’s prejudice, that in order to promote a radical feminist agenda of abortion on demand, they are willing to discriminate against the lives of the girls they are purporting to defend,” Landolt said to LifeSiteNews.

Sex-selective abortion has caused massive gender imbalances in countries such as India and China which have a cultural preference for sons, and which has resulted in widespread human trafficking of girls for the sex trade, abduction of girls who are sold as child brides, increased violence against women, and in India, the rise of the occurrence of “wife-sharing” because men can’t find a wife.

Evidence has shown that sex-selective abortion is becoming common in some ethnic groups in North America. Earlier this year an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal by interim editor-in-chief Dr. Rajendra Kale stated that “female feticide is in fact taking place in Canada.”

In his article titled “‘It’s a girl!’- could be a death sentence,” Dr. Kale observed, “research in Canada has found the strongest evidence of sex selection at higher parities if previous children were girls among Asians – that is people from India, China, Korea, Vietnam and Philippines.”

Dr. Kale’s warning that stopping sex-selective abortion in Canada would be difficult because of a total lack of any abortion law prompted Status of Women Minister Rona Ambrose to vote in favour of MP Stephen Woodworth’s Motion 312 because of her concern over the discriminatory and deadly practice.

“I have repeatedly raised concerns about discrimination of girls by sex selection abortion: no law needed, but we need awareness!” Ambrose wrote in a Tweet following the vote, which was defeated 91 to 203.

Ambrose’s pro-life vote in the motion resulted in a massive outpouring of support for the minister after abortion advocacy groups demanded her resignation.

Gwen Landolt commented that Ambrose “must be pained that the Day of the Girl Child, which she worked to establish, has been turned around, by those who uphold the mantra of abortion on demand, to not defend the most vulnerable girl children. This is out and out discrimination.”

In fact Canada’s pro-abortion activists have condemned a motion calling for the Canadian government to condemn sex-selective abortion brought forward by BC Conservative MP Mark Warawa, arguing that concerns about sex selection shouldn’t get in the way of the greater need for “absolute” access to abortion.

Motion 408, which MP Warawa of Langley, B.C., filed September 26, reads: “That the House condemn discrimination against females occuring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.”

“Recent studies have shown that the practice of aborting females in favour of males is happening in Canada,” said Warawa in a statement. “92% of Canadians believe sex-selective pregnancy termination should be illegal.”

“Gender selection has been strongly condemned by all national political parties,” he added. “As well, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada have vehemently opposed sex-selection pregnancy termination.”

Warawa commended Minister Ambrose for her work in establishing the International Day of the Girl Child, noting that she presented at the UN in New York last fall and led the international community to campaign for the initiative, which was formally adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 19, 2011.

“Support for girls and their basic human rights is vital for healthy communities,” said Warawa in a press release.

“The International Day of the Girl Child will provide an opportunity for girls to have a greater understanding of their rights, to exercise them and to become leaders in Canada and beyond,” Warawa said, but added that “Selectively terminating female fetuses (female feticide) perpetuates discrimination against women and girls.”

“Discrimination is an affront to the dignity and equality of women and girls,” Warawa concluded.