U.S. Government Refuses to Reaffirm International Commitment to Women & Families; Americans, U.S. Groups Disagree, Call for Reaffirmation

3/25/2004

From: Kirsten Sherk of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 646-352-2783

UNITED NATIONS, March 25 -- This week at the Commission on Population and Development at the United Nations, the U.S. government is poised to isolate itself for a third time from the nations of the world meeting to reaffirm a landmark population agreement. The U.S. government refuses to reaffirm the Cairo Consensus, the Programme of Action adopted at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. The Cairo Consensus is a blueprint for nations, working together, to help secure for every woman access to basic health care, a clean environment, education, and the right to make the private personal choices about childbearing that are best for her family and to have the information and means to do so.

U.S. organizations attending the meeting are calling on the U.S. delegation to reaffirm the Cairo Consensus. Despite its rhetorical support for women's rights, the United States delegation - which includes former Vatican negotiator John Klink - has said it would not reaffirm the agreement, and in fact has been obstructing negotiations on a proposed resolution to reaffirm Cairo.

"By working against Cairo, the United States is working against a sustainable future for families and wildlife," said Caron Whitaker, spokesperson for the National Wildlife Federation.

The National Wildlife Federation is one of two dozen organizations that has passed a resolution endorsing the Cairo Consensus and calling for the U.S. to fulfill its Cairo commitments. Other organizations include Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., and the Episcopal Church U.S.A.

More than 35 organizations and thousands of Americans have endorsed a campaign for the Cairo Consensus, "A Mother's Promise the World Must Keep." A Mother's Promise demonstrates that Americans value and support the promise a mother makes to her child. It's a promise of love, security, shelter, food, good health, a clean environment, and education. However, poverty, disease, injustice -and politics - make this an impossible promise for millions of women to keep.

Co-sponsors of A Mother's Promise attending the meeting include the Center for Reproductive Rights, Family Care International, International Women's Health Coalition, Ipas, National Wildlife Federation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Action International.

Co-sponsors of A Mothers Promise the World Must Keep: Advocates for Youth -- AIDS Action-- Alan Guttmacher Institute -- Catholics for a Free Choice -- Center for Environment and Population Center for Health and Gender Equity -- Center for Reproductive Rights -- Center for Women's Global Leadership -- Center for Women's Policy Studies Communications Consortium Media Center -- Family Care International -- Feminist Majority Foundation -- International Center for Research on Women -- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission -- International Women's Health Coalition -- Ipas -- Izaak Walton League -- John Snow, Inc. -- NARAL Pro-Choice America -- National Audubon Society -- National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association -- National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health -- National Organizations Responding to AIDS -- National Wildlife Federation -- Pacific Institute for Women's Health -- Pathfinder International -- Planned Parenthood Federation of America -- Population Action International -- Population Coalition -- Population Connection -- The Population Institute -- Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. -- Sierra Club -- United Nations -- Foundation U.S. Committee for UNFPA -- Women's Edge Coalition -- Women's Environment and Development Organization

For more information about the Mother's Promise campaign, visit http://www.amotherspromise.org