"A forceful diversion of resources to the promotion of abortion"

Maternal health is being used as a smokescreen to divert development aid and promote abortion by stealth, the UN heard last night.

At a side event yesterday at the 60th session of UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 60), SPUC's Maria Madise warned attendees: "There has been a forceful diversion of resources to the promotion of abortion and birth control in programmes that claim to reduce maternal mortality."

The event, titled Best practices for maternal health care in Africa and co-sponsored by SPUC, was hosted by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN and co-sponsored by SPUC, the Campaign Life Coalition and REAL Women of Canada.

Panellists

The panellists at the event were:

• His Excellency, The Most Reverend Bernardito C. Auza
  Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
• Dr. Robert L. Walley
  Founder and Executive Director of MaterCare International
• Obianuju Ekeocha
  Founder and President of Culture of Life Africa
• Maria Madise
  International Director, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC)

Miss Madise reminded the full conference room that "no human rights treaty recognises abortion as a human right. The right to life of all members of the human family, regardless of birth or any other status is a founding principle of the UN. Without the right to life, all other rights - including the right to health - become meaningless."

Trojan horse

SPUC has previously warned that maternal health - as well as the false moniker of 'reproductive rights' - is being used as a Trojan horse to push an agenda of abortion-on-demand and abortifacient contraception. In a recent series of blogposts, SPUC writer & researcher Fiorella Nash sets out an authentic pro-life response to maternal mortality (spoiler alert: abortion is not the answer).

Dr Walley, who has vast experience with working in rural communities in Africa, said: "When you look at causes of maternal mortality, 91% of them occur in the last 3 months of pregnancy. Abortion and birth control are irrelevant."

The panel addressed a full conference room

'Colonialism'

Obianuju Ekeocha, from Culture of Life Africa, accused Western governments and businesses of 'colonialism' in their drive for widespread liberal abortion and abortifacient contraception in third-world countries, especially on the African continent.

In response to a comment from a Danish delegate at the event, Miss Ekeocha said:

"If you want to push abortion on Africa, you will have to tell African women that everything their parents told her and everything their grandparents taught them is wrong and that, Madam, is colonisation."

Convention on the Rights of the Child

Miss Madise reminded those present that the Convention on the Rights of the Child commits States to ensure appropriate pre-natal and post-natal health care for mothers and protects the rights of the child before as well as after birth.

"The authentic rights of mothers and their children can never be in conflict," said Miss Madise.

A recording on the event will be available shortly on the UN website.