CEDAW COMMITTEE CONFRONTS SURINAME ON CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION

NEW YORK, June 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women took up the report of Suriname Friday.  Joella-Sewnundun, Suriname’s Minister for Home Affairs, presented her report to the committee noting that abortion is illegal in her country as is advertising of contraceptives.  One of the UN “experts” at the meeting demanded to know “if there were any plans to abolish the laws punishing the display and offering of contraceptives.”  Another committee member commented on the abortion question noting that the Minister indicated that although abortions were a crime, it was believed that illegal abortions were done safely.  The UN report quotes a committee expert, “It is not enough to have laws on the books and then turn a blind eye to the implementation or effectiveness of those laws, particularly with reference to abortion.”  See the UN release on the meeting:  https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/WOM1342.doc.htm