For UN's Population Event, Abortion "Safe Where Legal," April Echoes ICPD

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 19 -- In the run up to the Population event of the UN General Assembly on September 22, Inner City Press asked UN officials Thomas Gass and John Wilmoth of the place of sexual and reproductive health issues in the event.

  Gass said the question goes to the heart of what humanity is, citing gender equality and access to sexual and reproductive health services. Wilmoth emphasized that the Cairo Declaration is not being re-negotiated; the previous position, that abortion should be safe where it is legal, remains.

  Back in April 2014 there was an all-night session of fight over the Commission on Population and Development.Past 11 pm the Permanent Representative of Kenya, that month's chair of the African Group, said there would be no sleight of hand solution. He went into Conference Room A with other Permanent Representatives, including those of Norway and then of Cameroon, who told Inner City Press that "in Africa we don't do Programs of Action, we do Declarations." 

  And after a long and murky night in the basement of the UN, a text was in fact adopted followed by a slew of mostly angry speeches from 6 to 7 am. 

Argentina's Permanent Representative regretted that language about unilateral sanctions, debt was not retained. She was followed by speakers from Jordan and Australia, all Security Council members this year. There are not a lot of 6 am Security Council meetings. But this is another part of the UN.

   Iran, set for a big role in CPD 48, joined with Egypt and Oman in slamming the deletion of language about "foreign occupation." South Africa pointed out paragraphs on which it negotiated in it national capacity, NOT as part of the African Group.

  The US speech was surprisingly upbeat, glad for citations to sexual and reproductive health, eager for the ICPD session in General Assembly. (Here is a John Kerry speech, since.)

  Hungary said it does not take "reproductive rights" to include abortion. The Holy See took this further. The European Union's deputy said that principles agreed to in Cairo 20 years ago are being re-litigated now.
 
  But on September 19, that's not what the UN's John Wilmoth told Inner City Press. And as Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access have asked before, what of Myanmar's anti-Royhinga census and reproduction policies? Speaking of reproductive issues? We will cover the September 22 event. Watch this site. 

  

UN Projects Short Lives in Sierra Leone, DRC & Guinea-Bissau in 2095, No Word on Myanmar's Proposed Two Child Policy for Muslims

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 13 -- A UN report projecting Sierra Leone, the Congo and Guinea Bissau to continue to have the lowest life expectancies at birth as far out as 2095 was released on Thursday.

Inner City Press asked John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs how the UN could be so sure these countries, each with a UN mission in it, would still be at the bottom 80Wilmoth years from now. Video here, from Minute 34:45. Inner City Press also asked for comment on the two child policy for Muslims in part of Myanmar.

Wilmoth replied that he hadn't heard of that issue in Myanmar -- it sure SEEMS like population news -- and that he wouldn't want to comment on any policy choice a government would make to manage its population. (That seems to be how the UN operates in Sudan and, say, Sri Lanka.)

On the troubling projections for Africa, Wilmoth told Inner City Press "I would encourage you to focus on the present and next few decades." Then why did the UN include this projections and rankings until 2095 in the report it handed out on Thursday? Can't journalists choose what to focus on from what the UN itself chooses to put in a report?

Footnote: The briefing began with a question on behalf of the UN Correspondents Association, which on June 12 signed off on UN Media Access Guidelines banning media workspace in front of the UN Security Council, and trying to limit the free speech rights of any entity other than UNCA.

  Inner City Press for the new Free UN Coalition for Accessthanked Wilmoth for this briefing -- and asserts again, independent journalists can focus on what they choose, and type and work wherever makes most sense. Watch this site.