US pitted against others at UN over abortion
UNITED NATIONS: The United States told the UN Security Council yesterday it opposed references to sexual and reproductive health and the safe termination of pregnancies, pitting Washington against Britain, France, South Africa and others.
While the United States joined its 14 council counterparts to unanimously adopt a resolution on women, peace and security, US ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said Washington was unhappy the text mentioned previous resolutions that promoted sexual and reproductive health.
‘‘We cannot accept references to ‘sexual and reproductive health’, nor any references to ‘safe termination of pregnancy’ or language that would promote abortion or suggest a right to abortion,’’ she said after the vote.
The statement by Craft was the latest in a string of moves by US President Donald Trump’s administration against the promotion of sexual and reproductive health services by the United Nations.
‘‘The UN should not put itself in a position of promoting or suggesting a right to abortion, whether it is humanitarian or development work,’’ said Craft, who took up her role in August.
The language promoting sexual and reproductive health is longagreed internationally, including in resolutions adopted by the Security Council in 2009 and 2013 and several resolutions adopted annually by the 193member General
Assembly.
‘‘Women have long argued that they should be able to control their bodies,’’ South African International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor told reporters.
‘‘It is their right to make that choice and this is recognised worldwide,’’ Pandor said of abortions.
‘‘It can’t be that I’m a victim of sexual violence and I cannot make a choice as to my body and my reproductive rights.’’
Britain’s UN ambassador, Karen Pierce, said sexual and reproductive health were ‘‘a vital part of public services for women in all countries and a vital part of ensuring that women can play a truly equal role in the building of their countries’’.
Deputy French UN ambassador Anne Gueguen said council acknowledgement of sexual and reproductive health and rights was essential to helping victims of sexual violence globally.
In April, Washington threatened to veto a Security Council resolution if a reference was not cut citing the need for UN bodies and donors to give timely ‘‘sexual and reproductive health’’ assistance to survivors of sexual violence in conflict.
UN Secretarygeneral Antonio Guterres told the Security Council yesterday ‘‘sexual and genderbased violence continues to be used as a weapon of war, with the survivors of such violence often left without justice or support’’. — Reuters
❛ We cannot accept references to ‘sexual and reproductive health’, nor any references to ‘safe termination of pregnancy’
US ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft