The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a UN human rights mechanism that offers a forum for nations to review each other’s human rights records. The UPR has recently released recommendations pressuring countries to liberalize their abortion and sexual orientation and gender equality policies. The most recent recommendations targeted Turkmenistan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Tuvalu, Germany, Djibouti, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, and Cuba.
Several UN member states co-sponsored a resolution pertaining to women’s rights, a topic that falls within the purview of the third committee (social, cultural, and humanitarian issues). Yet, the resolution was introduced within the second committee (economic and financial committee) which many saw as a procedural mistake. Progressive member states argued that the resolution was rightly introduced within the second committee as they claim that women’s rights are tightly connected to economic issues. In contrast, more traditionally inclined countries viewed this move as an unwarranted expansion of the second committee's mandate, arguing that gender issues inherently belong to the social realm covered by the third committee. Moreover, the resolution included language such as “informal economy” which might be interpreted to recognize and promote prostitution as a type of work. 86 countries, amounting to a relative majority, voted in favor of sending the resolution for reconsideration at the Third committee.
Highlights from the Transatlantic Summit
Last Friday, The Political Network For Values hosted its Fifth Transatlantic Summit at the UN Headquarters. It convened pro-life and pro-family legislators and civil society leaders from over 40 countries to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and affirm their commitment to an original understanding of UDHR. Read more about what that means here.
“Unfortunately, today, people are once again prosecuted…if they proclaim that [the need to protect] life comes before freedom. People try to cancel and denigrate us as saying that we have no consciousness…The rights consecrated in the Declaration are … more important than ever…the right to live in a family, marry, freedom of religion, consciousness. Our mission is very clear. It is important that each of us take on the mission [to protect these rights]. Everything will be okay because God loves us”
Friday Fax
Leaders From Around the World Say Human Rights are Off Track. Read the full story here
Emmanuelle DaPonte reports oAbortion Extremists’ Complaints to the Organization of American States
Other News
Read Grace Melton and Emilie Kao’s article on how the UN Undermines Parental Rights by Pushing Gender Ideology.
