Geneva Consensus Declaration

The Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family is an anti-abortion declaration cosponsored by the governments of Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Uganda and the United States. It was signed by 34 countries on October 22, 2020.[1][2][3][4]

Other than the United States, most of the signatories are illiberal, authoritarian, or autocratic governments.[1][4] They predominantly subscribe to hard-line religious viewpoints, and some of their leaders have been accused of human rights violations.[3][4] While the declaration contains statements on women's rights and gender equality, most of the countries did not appear to take them seriously, and some are among the worst perpetrators of state-sanctioned oppression of women.[4] Many of the countries have significant problems with rape, child marriage, and sexual slavery.[4]

A commitment to prevent access to abortion is central to the declaration.[4] Egyptian NGO Nazra described the declaration as "an international attack on women, gender, and sexuality"[4] and Amnesty International said the signatories as "willingly endangering people’s health and lives".[5] Unlike other international documents, the declaration is not legally binding.[3][4] Critics have accused the signatories qw being motivated by a desire to undermine established international institutions.[4]

The declaration was submitted by Ambassador Kelly Craft to the UN General Assembly as agenda item 131 for December 2020.. On January 28, 2021, United States President Joe Biden removed the United States from the declaration.[6][7]

The document is not related to the United Nations' Geneva Consensus Foundation or to other Geneva-based institutions.[4]

Signatories

The consensus was signed by "ministers and high representatives of Governments" from Bahrain, Belarus, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Gambia, Georgia, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Libya, Nauru, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, and Zambia.

See Also

References

  1. "US signs anti-abortion declaration with group of largely authoritarian governments". the Guardian. October 22, 2020.
  2. "U.S. joins global anti-abortion pact as Polish women protest". NBC News.
  3. Berger M (22 October 2020). "U.S. signs international declaration challenging right to abortion and upholding 'role of the family'". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  4. Southern, Nathan Paul; Kennedy, Lindsey (20 January 2021). "Trump's Legacy Is a Global Alliance Against Women's Rights". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  5. "New Declaration Tramples on Every Person's Right to Choose". Amnesty International USA. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  6. "Memorandum on Protecting Women's Health at Home and Abroad". The White House. January 28, 2021.
  7. "Biden reverses global abortion 'gag rule' and expands Obamacare". BBC News. January 28, 2021.
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