New York, : A side event at the 60th session of UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 60), co-sponsored by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), has highlighted the tragedy of misdirected development aid to promote abortion by stealth to African mothers in the name of maternal health.

Archbishop Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, introduced the panellists and set the scene by emphasising the fact that motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.

SPUC’s Maria Madise told the full conference room: "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, 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.

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); and Maria Madise (International Director, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children).

Miss Madise also reminded the audience 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."

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."

Obianuju Ekeocha responding to a challenge from a Danish delegate, 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."

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.