Trump Creates Radical Coalition Declaring ‘No International Right’ To Abortion
The Trump administration signed onto a declaration on Thursday that could undermine abortion rights around the world, a document stating that “in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning.”
The declaration is part of the Geneva Consensus, a 32-country coalition created by the Trump administration in 2019 and co-sponsored by Brazil, Indonesia, Hungary, Uganda and Egypt. The coalition’s declaration pushes more conservative views on human rights than the United Nations, including reproductive rights and often with a right-leaning bent on women’s health and family.
Although the declaration is not legally binding, the Trump administration’s facilitation of the coalition ― and break from UN consensus ― sends a loud and clear message where the U.S. stands on abortion rights.
At a virtual ceremonial signing of the declaration on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, “The United States has defended the dignity of human life everywhere and always… We’ve mounted an unprecedented defense of the unborn abroad.”
“At its very core, the declaration protects women’s health, defends the unborn, and reiterates the vital importance of the family as the foundation of society,” Pompeo said.
The declaration claims to “support women, protect life [and] promote the family,” according to a video shown at Thursday’s signing ceremony. In reality, it seeks to restrict abortion access and undermine same-sex marriages by reaffirming the traditional, heterosexual family unit. Many of the countries that have signed on to the declaration are socially conservative and have been accused by the UN of human rights violations.
The declaration states that “there is no international right to abortion” because countries have no obligation to “finance or facilitate abortion.” The joint statement also undermines same-sex couples by reaffirming traditional family...
