U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan received an award from International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC), a group working for worldwide abortion on demand for women and girls. Annan's enthusiastic acceptance of the award raises renewed questions about the objectivity of Annan, and the U.N. secretariat, which is responsible for organizing major conferences on international social policy. In his acceptance speech, the secretary-general lauded IWHC. "I am moved that you have chosen to honour me this evening. Above all, I want to pay tribute to the International Women's Health Coalition for the work it is doing around the globe. The IWHC and its partners provide indispensable leadership for the health and rights of girls and women worldwide. If there were more pioneers like you, the world would be a better place. You are a shining example," he said.

This leadership includes teaching abortion advocates how to skirt "restrictive" abortion laws. For instance, where legal abortion is restricted to those abortions considered necessary to save the life of the mother, IWHC recommends that abortion providers simply "adopt a broader definition of what constitutes a threat to a woman's life by considering the risk of death if she seeks a clandestine procedure."

Right to Life, 'Right' to Kill

IWHC also works for the radical reinterpretation of U.N. human rights documents. IWHC admits that no U.N. document "explicitly asserts a woman's right to abortion." But, "Despite these qualifications, the conference documents and human rights instruments - if broadly interpreted and skillfully argued - can be very useful tools in efforts to expand access to safe abortion." For instance, according to IWHC, the right to life, the first right enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, should include a right to abortion, because women who seek illegal abortions risk their lives.

IWHC has also praised the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) for providing chemical abortifacients and early abortion devices in refugee settings while avoiding international scrutiny. IWHC claims that UNFPA's "preassembled reproductive health kits have helped speed up response to emergencies and to halt case-by-case controversies about what supplies should be included. Thus, subkit three includes emergency contraception, and subkit eight includes manual vacuum aspiration equipment."

Mere 'Menstrual Regulation' for 'Safe' Killings

Manual vacuum aspiration appears to be central to IWHC strategy to expand access to abortion, because the early abortion for which it is used, a procedure IWHC labels "menstrual regulation," constitutes, according to IWHC, one of the "loopholes under which safe abortion can be provided even in settings where laws are restrictive."

In his speech, Annan stressed the need for "achieving a deep social revolution that will give more power to women, and transform relations between women and men at all levels of society."

He concluded by calling the staff of IWHC "wonderful partners of the United Nations family."

Copyright - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute). Permission granted for unlimited use.

-- - (David@excite.com), August 31, 2004

Answers

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-- - (David@excite.com), August 31, 2004.

David, we can read the news in any news outlet. This forum is for posting contributions which deepen our knowledge of and strengthen our Catholic faith.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), August 31, 2004.

David, thanks for posting the article. It is sad. More New World Order garbage.

Steve, I don't know about you, but many of the items posted here I'd never have seen otherwise.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), August 31, 2004.

I was just quoting the "Rules of this Forum". I suggest you and David read them. This forum is not meant to be a general news service but a forum for discussing and deepening our Catholic faith.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), August 31, 2004.

steve,

how is the fight against abortion ever NOT pertinant to catholic discussion. what dave posted presents a challenging moral situation that is VITAL to catholics worldwide... besides, dave gave the proper citations for the article, so its not a rules violation

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), August 31, 2004.

Paul, I wasn't suggesting David violated the rules. But I don't think every news article which mentions abortion has to be posted on the forum. I think in the spirit of the aims of the forum, people should only post a non-Catholic-related news article if they are using it to illustrate a contribution aimed at deepening our understanding of our faith.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), September 01, 2004.

There are still a lot of people in the world who think the UN is a benevolent organization. This article, among others, shows that it is not. People need to know--maybe they will give their money to a good organization, instead of say, UNICEF.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), September 01, 2004.

GT, I can't wait for you to tell me on what evil purposes UNICEF is spending the money I donate to it? Let me guess, your definition of a "good, benevolent" charity which I should donate to is Dubya's re- election campaign?

Oh and David, you forgot to mention the IWHC's work against female circumcision which you fulminated about recently. IWHC, btw is a voluntary organisation of individuals, NOT a part of the UN.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), September 03, 2004.

The fact that the U.N. has made the mistake of supposting this group does not cancel out the good that U.N.-affiliated groups like UNICEF and the World Heath Organization have done for the world. There are plenty of kids in Africa who would dissagree with your stance on UNICEF.

-- Anti-bush (Comrade_bleh@hotmail.com), September 04, 2004.

"..GT, I can't wait for you to tell me on what evil purposes UNICEF is spending the money I donate to it? "

"UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is supporting a South African organisation which promotes abortion for children without the knowledge or consent of their parents. The Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) has revealed that UNICEF provides "major funding" for Love Life, a proabortion website for South African youngsters. The website tells girls: "It is your right to get an abortion. If people are unhelpful, don't get discouraged. Keep trying. "Describing the abortion procedure as "a gentle suction", the website tells girls that they will "feel a sense of relief" after the abortion and that they should "celebrate together" with their boyfriend.

from C-FAM January 2002

-- - (David@excite.com), September 05, 2004.

David, that article you posted on abortion is sickening. Let us pray for those poor souls who are killed and for the young mothers who are deceived by such groups.

-- Emily ("jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), September 05, 2004.

Well, David, you (or whoever you’re copying this guff from) have earned an A for creative excavation. I dug up the organization “C- Fam” and they don’t provide ANY figures other than the same accusation. So I’ll have to make an educated guess that the money UNICEF provided to this ONE small organization in ONE country would represent maybe 0.01% of the UNICEF budget. And OF THIS amount, this “Lovelife” organization spends maybe 0.1% of ITS budget on PROMOTING the idea that abortion is OK. (Note, it is NOT spent on abortion itself.) So, even assuming (without evidence)that UNICEF donates to similar groups in other countries, under the moral principle of double effect, for every $1 million donated to UNICEF, $999,999.99 is spent on SAVING children’s lives, whilst 1c is spent on what to me is the unintended effect of promoting the idea that killing of unborn children is OK. So I will continue to donate to UNICEF with a clear conscience. (Btw, the bulk of my charitable donations goes to Caritas Internationalis and other Catholic organizations, because I know they spend less on administration and incidentals and more on actual charitable works.)

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), September 05, 2004.

Emily,

Good idea. I will rember them in my prayers.

Steve, I knew you would come back and put a "spin" on it. I am not suprised. But I still had to show you because you told GT,".."..GT, I can't wait for you to tell me on what evil purposes UNICEF is spending the money I donate to it? "

Now you read it make you own little ( notes and fugures). But rember you asked for it.

God bless you

-- - (David@excite.com), September 05, 2004.

Steve

The Vatican stop giving to UNICEF. I left a phone number at end in case you want to call. I wish you would read up were you dump your money! Full story here:

UNICEF ‘Major Funder’ OF GROUP PROMOTING ABORTION/PORNOGRAPHY FOR CHILDREN The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supports a South African organization that encourages children to engage in sexual and homosexual behavior and to have abortions, without their parents’ knowledge or consent. The organization, called loveLife (sic), says on its website that UNICEF provides "major funding" for its programs.

LoveLife seems eager to shepherd children towards abortion and provides the toll-free phone number for Marie Stopes International (MSI) abortion clinics. LoveLife reminds children "it is your right to get counseling. It is your right to get an abortion. If people are unhelpful, don’t get discouraged. Keep trying. You don’t need permission from anybody to have an abortion…" Lovelife also mentions that a girl can have an abortion - a procedure it describes as "a gentle suction" - without telling her parents. Instead, a girl should "Talk to someone - a health worker, a counselor, or someone you can trust." After the abortion, loveLife recommends that boyfriend and girlfriend should "celebrate together," and have sex "gently." According to loveLife, a girl will "feel a sense of relief" after the abortion.

With regard to homosexuality, LoveLife says "Some people prefer not to limit their horny feelings to only half the population. They’ll fall in love with whoever feels right - male or female. Why let body parts limit the power of love?!" LoveLife also says "Most people fall in love with someone of the same sex at least once in their lives…"

LoveLife’s descriptions of sexual acts are especially graphic and will offend most parents and will be considered pornographic to many. According to loveLive "an orgasm is a big rush of juicy satisfaction! You explode with pleasure and it’s yum yum yum." LoveLife goes on to say sexual pleasure can be achieved "again and again" and then explains very specific physical sensations accompanying the sexual act. After a detailed description of female masturbation, loveLife advises, "all you would-be super-lovers out there, start practicing."

Instead of warning children that condoms do not provide protection from many sexually transmitted diseases, loveLife asserts that condoms "are the best thing for sex! No side-effects and no worries about babies, HIV/AIDS or disgusting sores on your private parts!"

Lovelife seems to be held in high regard by the United Nations, and by UNICEF in particular. In a press release, loveLife reports that in 2000 it was "selected by the United Nations…(including) UNICEF, UNAIDS and UNDP - as the only organization to be profiled at the official UN World Aids events at the UN Headquarters in New York."

The Vatican withdrew its annual contribution to UNICEF four years ago because of its fears UNICEF supports abortion. In recent months, UNICEF has reached out to the Vatican and pro-life leaders to allay this suspicion. Chiefly, UNICEF fears problems from the US Congress, which contributes $110 million annually to UNICEF coffers.

UNICEF did not deny funding the website and said to the Friday Fax "Young people have a right to be given all the information they need about HIV, the ways in which it is transmitted, and how to avoid the infection." UNICEF was silent regarding the promotion of abortion and the pornographic content of the site.

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Copyright - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).

Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.

Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 427 New York, New York 10017 Phone: (212) 754-5948

-- - (David@excite.com), September 05, 2004.

No I’m not going to phone C-fam, David. Obviously they have a political agenda and if they had any actual evidence that UNICEF supports abortion, they would put it on their website, but even they only call it a “suspicion” that UNICEF supports abortion.

No matter which charity you donate to, there is no way that ALL of the money will end up given ONLY to people who practise and promote every aspect of Catholic morality at all times. That must not deter us from the basic imperative of charity to our neighbor.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), September 05, 2004.