In a letter from the International Right to Life Federation, international pro-life leaders have commended President Trump for his withdrawal of funding from the pro-abortion, World Health Organization (WHO).

President Trump ordered his administration to halt state funding to the WHO earlier this month, following their handling of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

The letter, which was signed by ten international pro-life leaders, offered “wholehearted solidarity” with President Trump, and condemned the WHO of having a “long history of wilfully endangering life on a global scale.”

John Smeaton, International Right to Life Federation (IRTLF) Vice President, and SPUC Chief Executive, was one of the international leaders who signed the letter in support of President Trump.

The Letter: A world free from the heartless grip of the WHO

The letter stated:

“It is with great appreciation that the International Right to Life Federation (IRTLF) offers wholehearted solidarity with your brave move to withhold funding from the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The WHO has a long history of wilfully endangering life on a global scale. But the transgressions of the WHO go beyond this.

“The IRTLF would like to draw your attention to the fact that the WHO has adopted a pro-abortion position and even equates abortion with “human rights.” Not only has it referred to abortion as merely a “medical procedure,” it has openly said laws “that criminalize medical procedures, including abortion, needed only by women” should be repealed worldwide.

“Then, on 27 March this year, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a WHO spokesperson, as part of its “Maternal and Perinatal Health & Preventing Unsafe Abortion Team,” labelled abortion an “essential service,” and that, in accordance with new WHO guidelines, “women’s choices and rights to sexual reproductive health care should be respected irrespective of COVID-19 status

“Forming part of WHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, then, is a pre-planned response designed to ruthlessly exploit global crisis to expand abortion by pressing for women to ’manage their own safe abortions’.” This takes the form of consulting a doctor, not in person, but via telephone or video chat, and obtaining abortion pills in the mail, potentially far from emergency medical care that she may need if complications arise.

“Such measures, apart from promoting an agenda that will kill millions of babies, will further jeopardize the physical and mental health of women around the world who will no longer have the benefit of an appropriate consultation and supervised abortion. In effect, it functions as a chemical coat hanger.

“The International Right to Life Federation believes that it is time to build a great worldwide movement to protect innocents around world from the tragedy of abortion being promoted by governments and international authorities such as the WHO.

“We applaud you, Mr. President, for showing exceptional leadership in defending lives, both born and unborn. It is our sincere hope that you will continue your righteous work in building, not only a pro-life America, but a pro-life world that is free from the heartless grip of the World Health Organization which sets such little store on the value and inviolability of every human life.”

“An important stage of the dismantling of the pro-abortion global order”

Over recent weeks, SPUC has been reporting on the WHO’s anti-life policies which have once again surfaced amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Smeaton, SPUC Chief Executive and IRTLF Vice President said: “The World Health Organization’s has earned a place in history for its shameful handling of the Coronavirus crisis. It also has a long anti-family and anti-life history and has been preparing for years to exploit a pandemic.  President Trump’s brilliant and brave decision to halt US funding for the WHO is an important stage of the dismantling of the pro-abortion global order”