Brazil Representative to United Nations Bashes Own Country’s Pro-Life Laws

UNITED NATIONS, July 3, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Emilia Therezinha Fernandes, Brazil’s Special Secretary of Women’s Policies, made a report to the United Nations Committee monitoring the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Tuesday.  Fernandes derided her own country’s pro-life legislation saying, “A profound reform of the 1940 Penal Code (is) urgently needed to eliminate clauses that discriminate against women and the severe penalties imposed on abortion.”  She noted that “Bills to update the Penal Code are being discussed by the National Congress.” But apologetically added, “There (is) strong resistance on the part of legislators to decriminalize abortion or to expand the legal permissions for voluntary pregnancy interruption.”  Fernandes also complained that “Brazilian legislation (does) not acknowledge the rights resulting from homosexual relationships.”  But added, “The National Congress (is) currently discussing bills on the recognition of homosexual relationships.”  A United Nations release on the proceedings notes that the 23 UN experts forming the Committee, were pleased with the fact that Brazil with this presentation had commenced reporting to the United Nations.  However, Salma Khan, a UN expert from Bangladesh, urged Brazil to legalize abortions with the classic pro-abortion rhetoric of unsafe abortions.  “If women (are) forced to turn to unsafe abortions, how (can) the Government say it had a model health-care programme?,” demanded Khan.  See the full UN report on the proceedings at:  https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/wom1404.doc.htm