UN Headquarters in NY. Copyright: Getty Images At the Commission’s 50th session, the UN Member States failed to reach an agreement. The Commission for Population and Development is the most important UN Commission for the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The theme of the Commission’s 50th session was ‘Changing population age structures and sustainable development’. Special attention was thus going to the needs of over 1.8 billion young people in the world.
Member states spent more than 10 days negotiating. The final version of the draft resolution contained important references to the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people and comprehensive sexuality education. The final version was rejected though when the US and a number of African countries, more particularly Egypt, Cameroon and Djibouti wanted to have sections on SRHR deleted.
Member states spent more than 10 days negotiating. The final version of the draft resolution contained important references to the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people and comprehensive sexuality education. The final version was rejected though when the US and a number of African countries, more particularly Egypt, Cameroon and Djibouti wanted to have sections on SRHR deleted.
The US, who had decided to cut their support for UNFPA earlier that week, also rejected engagements around family planning and contraception. They also wanted to delete references to comprehensive sexuality education in the text.
During the negotiations, the US sided with the Vatican, Russia and other countries against any references to sexual rights. The US refused to recognise that unsafe abortions are one of the main causes of maternal mortality.
In response, 31 countries of different regions, including Belgium, launched a statement underlining the importance of SRHR and other human rights. The countries expressed their indignation as to how a handful of countries is able to undermine agreements on human rights. In addition, South Africa, the Latin American countries and Tunesia took a clear stance in support of SRHR.
The European Union failed to speak with a united voice as Hungary and Poland refused to agree on comprehensive sexuality education and sexual rights. Consequently there was no joint EU position on SRHR.
Sensoa follows these global developments closely and provided the Belgian permanent representation in New York with recommendations before and during the negotiations.
Belgium takes up a leading role in ‘She Decides’, the global initiative launched in answer to Trump’s policies earlier this year. Through ‘She Decides’, a coalition of countries, with the support of civil society, wants to take up the plight of SRHR and fill the funding gap.
During the negotiations, the US sided with the Vatican, Russia and other countries against any references to sexual rights. The US refused to recognise that unsafe abortions are one of the main causes of maternal mortality.
In response, 31 countries of different regions, including Belgium, launched a statement underlining the importance of SRHR and other human rights. The countries expressed their indignation as to how a handful of countries is able to undermine agreements on human rights. In addition, South Africa, the Latin American countries and Tunesia took a clear stance in support of SRHR.
The European Union failed to speak with a united voice as Hungary and Poland refused to agree on comprehensive sexuality education and sexual rights. Consequently there was no joint EU position on SRHR.
Sensoa follows these global developments closely and provided the Belgian permanent representation in New York with recommendations before and during the negotiations.
Belgium takes up a leading role in ‘She Decides’, the global initiative launched in answer to Trump’s policies earlier this year. Through ‘She Decides’, a coalition of countries, with the support of civil society, wants to take up the plight of SRHR and fill the funding gap.
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