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BY LifeSiteNews.com Reprinted with permission from - Vivant! - March 8, 2000 By Vivant! staff NEW YORK - Unhappy over the unexpected presence of a substantial international contingent of pro-family youth NGO representatives, radical-feminist lobbyists objected publicly yesterday to the presence of the World Youth Alliance (WYA). In a one-page circular distributed in the afternoon to Beijing+5 PrepCom participants, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) issued an “alert” to European delegations “concerning the threat to the five-year review process caused by a large presence” of what the EWL called “right-wing, ‘pro-life’ participants.” According to the EWL, the “numerous right-wing fundamentalists are so far focusing on the youth caucus, under an initiative which is called the World Youth Alliance.” The pro- feminist EWL claimed that the “NGO community” is “deeply concerned” and “stand united in our efforts to minimize their influence, so that the five-year review in support of the [Beijing Platform for Action] can succeed.” In a bid to counteract the powerful effect that it believes pro-family NGOs are exerting, the European Women’s Lobby asked “the EU governments to take a firm stand opposing any language changes and efforts to undermine the sexual and reproductive rights of women, and to insist on this point during the negotiations.” World Youth Alliance spokespersons reacted with a mixture of astonishment and amusement to the charges circulated against them by radical-feminist NGOs. “That’s a nice compliment,” said WYA representative Anna Halpine, referring to the complaint that the pro-family youth coalition was having an immense influence on the Beijing+5 proceedings. “We’re happy to receive this criticism.” Halpine said that it was ironic that the European Women’s Lobby was trying so hard to exclude pro-family viewpoints from the Beijing+5 negotiations. “In light of the fact that the EWL announced last year across Europe that the EWL was not a special-interest group, and that it represents all of the concerns of European women, this represents a completely opposing statement. The EWL is excluding anyone who does not agree with their political agenda.” Sources reported that the EWL’s displeasure over the presence of the WYA was shared broadly among Beijing+5 radical activists. At a meeting of the conference’s Youth Caucus yesterday, one NGO representative complained, “the Youth Caucus is paralyzed because of the World Youth Alliance. They are dominating. We can’t work for a while.” Others discussed how many WYA members were in attendance, with an estimate of 270-300 members suggested by one speaker. Another described the WYA as “extremely well-organized and highly effective.” While WYA members say their actual numbers are considerably less than the Youth Caucus estimate, they acknowledge that they have been a substantial presence at every gathering they have attended. But that presence, Halpine said yesterday, accurately reflects the widespread support among the world’s youth for the views they represent. “We have more representatives here than they do,” she said, “and we have a bigger grassroots base around the world [than the radical youth NGOs]. That’s what’s being represented at these meetings, and that’s why they take issue with us.” Adult feminists are also expressing displeasure at the WYA’s presence. At a meeting yesterday of the Women and Health Caucus, one NGO representative declared angrily about the WYA, “According to my feelings they are only trying to keep us from working.” The reality is very different, WYA members insist. Time and again, they said in interviews yesterday, meetings have been summarily adjourned after they try to introduce their viewpoints into NGO discussions. For example, a meeting of Latin American youth participants was summarily halted when a male WYA member tried to take part, and ordered reconvened at a later time without his presence. Another frequent charge against the WYA is that it is being lavishly financed by “the Vatican” or other unnamed backers. At a March 6 Women’s Caucus meeting, a WYA member from Eastern Europe responded passionately to that accusation. The young woman, a student, noted that she was attending at great sacrifice to herself, as she was bearing all of her travel costs herself. As for being “disruptive,” she said that her paramount objective in attending Beijing+5 was to dialogue with other youth about the legitimate concerns of women. And, she added, it was the anti-World Youth Alliance NGOs who are preventing that dialogue from occurring, not WYA members like herself. Reprinted with permission from - Vivant! - March 8, 2000 RADICAL NGOS REACT ANGRILY TO PRESENCE OF PRO-FAMILY YOUTH By Vivant! staff NEW YORK - Unhappy over the unexpected presence of a substantial international contingent of pro-family youth NGO representatives, radical-feminist lobbyists objected publicly yesterday to the presence of the World Youth Alliance (WYA). In a one-page circular distributed in the afternoon to Beijing+5 PrepCom participants, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) issued an “alert” to European delegations “concerning the threat to the five-year review process caused by a large presence” of what the EWL called “right-wing, ‘pro-life’ participants.” According to the EWL, the “numerous right-wing fundamentalists are so far focusing on the youth caucus, under an initiative which is called the World Youth Alliance.” The pro- feminist EWL claimed that the “NGO community” is “deeply concerned” and “stand united in our efforts to minimize their influence, so that the five-year review in support of the [Beijing Platform for Action] can succeed.” In a bid to counteract the powerful effect that it believes pro-family NGOs are exerting, the European Women’s Lobby asked “the EU governments to take a firm stand opposing any language changes and efforts to undermine the sexual and reproductive rights of women, and to insist on this point during the negotiations.” World Youth Alliance spokespersons reacted with a mixture of astonishment and amusement to the charges circulated against them by radical-feminist NGOs. “That’s a nice compliment,” said WYA representative Anna Halpine, referring to the complaint that the pro-family youth coalition was having an immense influence on the Beijing+5 proceedings. “We’re happy to receive this criticism.” Halpine said that it was ironic that the European Women’s Lobby was trying so hard to exclude pro-family viewpoints from the Beijing+5 negotiations. “In light of the fact that the EWL announced last year across Europe that the EWL was not a special-interest group, and that it represents all of the concerns of European women, this represents a completely opposing statement. The EWL is excluding anyone who does not agree with their political agenda.” Sources reported that the EWL’s displeasure over the presence of the WYA was shared broadly among Beijing+5 radical activists. At a meeting of the conference’s Youth Caucus yesterday, one NGO representative complained, “the Youth Caucus is paralyzed because of the World Youth Alliance. They are dominating. We can’t work for a while.” Others discussed how many WYA members were in attendance, with an estimate of 270-300 members suggested by one speaker. Another described the WYA as “extremely well-organized and highly effective.” While WYA members say their actual numbers are considerably less than the Youth Caucus estimate, they acknowledge that they have been a substantial presence at every gathering they have attended. But that presence, Halpine said yesterday, accurately reflects the widespread support among the world’s youth for the views they represent. “We have more representatives here than they do,” she said, “and we have a bigger grassroots base around the world [than the radical youth NGOs]. That’s what’s being represented at these meetings, and that’s why they take issue with us.” Adult feminists are also expressing displeasure at the WYA’s presence. At a meeting yesterday of the Women and Health Caucus, one NGO representative declared angrily about the WYA, “According to my feelings they are only trying to keep us from working.” The reality is very different, WYA members insist. Time and again, they said in interviews yesterday, meetings have been summarily adjourned after they try to introduce their viewpoints into NGO discussions. For example, a meeting of Latin American youth participants was summarily halted when a male WYA member tried to take part, and ordered reconvened at a later time without his presence. Another frequent charge against the WYA is that it is being lavishly financed by “the Vatican” or other unnamed backers. At a March 6 Women’s Caucus meeting, a WYA member from Eastern Europe responded passionately to that accusation. The young woman, a student, noted that she was attending at great sacrifice to herself, as she was bearing all of her travel costs herself. As for being “disruptive,” she said that her paramount objective in attending Beijing+5 was to dialogue with other youth about the legitimate concerns of women. And, she added, it was the anti-World Youth Alliance NGOs who are preventing that dialogue from occurring, not WYA members like herself. http://www.lifesitenews.com/resources/radical-ngos-react-angrily-to-presence-of-pro-family-youth/

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