NEW YORK, February 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com/c-fam.org) – The Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) Friday Fax revealed today that the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—historically radically pro-abortion in its directive—is taking an about-face on its abortion policy. The memo, released by Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, “promised to make substantial internal reforms to ensure that its publishing offices around the globe no longer produce documents endorsing abortion rights.”
The reversal seems to be the result of a letter written in January by Tommy Thompson, Secretary of US Health and Human Services (HHS), to Matsuura voicing Bush administration displeasure with some UNESCO documents, especially a document entitled “Unwanted Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion.” The document, co-released by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) late last year, called for abortion to be made available without restriction to all women, especially to adolescent girls, and for all abortions to be paid for by local governments. The document also called for the removal of all parental notification and consent laws for ensuring underage access to abortion.
C-FAM reports that “In response, Matsuura admitted in a letter to Thompson that ‘Unwanted Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion’ contained ‘material that is not in line with our policies or mandate.’ Matsuura therefore ‘instructed the Bangkok Office to withdraw the document and remove it from the Internet.’
A search of the UNESCO-Bangkok website confirms that the document has been removed. Furthermore, Matsuura forwarded Thompson an internal memo issued to UNESCO deputies in which he states that ‘My attention has been drawn to certain co-publications that could give the impression that UNESCO has a mandate or issues recommendations in the area of abortion. I therefore wish to recall to your attention that abortion, and abortion-related issues, do not come within the mandate of UNESCO. As UNESCO does not promote abortion, and no funds are given by Member States to be spent on abortion-related activities or materials, I ask you to ensure that UNESCO’s policy in this area is not misrepresented, in particular through publications and co-publications.’” Read the C-FAM memo at: www.c-fam.org
Also read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage “UNESCO Calls Abortion on Demand “Proper” Medical Procedure for Girls” at: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/oct/03103103.html Also read the LifeSiteNews.com coverage of the Vatican’s condemnation of UNESCO’s abortion policies at: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/feb/00021403.html