The bullying behaviour of UN human rights committees, which attempt to pressure pro-life countries like Ireland into introducing abortion is “deplorable, unconscionable and needs to be brought to an end," according to David Quinn, director of the Iona Institute. His comments came in response to an initiative by a US congressman, Representative Thad McCotter, to introduce a resolution asking the US Congress to condemn two United Nations committees for trying to pressure Ireland into legalising abortion.
"Congressman McCotter deserves congratulations for bringing this to public attention,” Mr Quinn said. “The bullying behavior of the UN towards countries which have pro-life laws, such as Ireland, is deplorable, unconscionable and needs to be brought to an end."
McCotter introduced the resolution along with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Chris Smith of New Jersey.
The three lawmakers "condemn the efforts of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (CEDAW)against Women to pressure and coerce the democratically elected government of the Republic of Ireland to reduce or eliminate its constitutionally established abortion restrictions."
It complains that members of Human Rights Committee and the CEDAW operate without any formal oversight and are entirely unaccountable to the United Nations and its member states.
Both committees are there to monitor member states' implementation of UN human rights agreements. However, they have frequently called on countries to legalise abortion where those countries ban the procedure, even though none of the human rights documents mentions abortion.
The resolution also accuses the members of the committees of trying to change the meaning of and text of the CEDAW treaty to make it appear to support abortion and require its legalization.
Citing five occasions on which the UN pressured Ireland to legalize abortions, the resolution also says the UN has pressured dozens of other nations as well.
"The established pattern of pressure and attempted coercion from the Human Rights Committee and the CEDAW against the democratically elected government of the Republic of Ireland to change its laws restricting abortion represents a microcosm of the efforts of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty System (with the present exception of the Committee on Migrant Workers) to pressure and coerce over 80 states to change their laws restricting abortions," it says.
The document also calls into question the use of taxpayer funds to finance United Nations activities.
It also "urges countries with restrictions on the practice of abortion to remain steadfast in the time-honoured traditions and verities of their cultures, which recognize that every human being, born or unborn, has an inherent right to life, despite the pressure and coercion by the members of the United Nations."
The non-binding resolution was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and it is thought that the Democrats in charge of the committee or the House are unlikely to take it up for debate or a vote.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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(Source: CIN)