U.S. Stance Roundly Rejected by Delegations to Bangkok Population Conference
December 17, 2002Bangkok, Thailand — Representatives of Population Action International and other NGOs observing the Fifth Asian and Pacific Regional Conference today praised the perseverance, commitment and unified voice of countries in the Asia Pacific Region as they reaffirmed the principles, goals and actions of the ICPD Programme of Action.
Terri Bartlett, Vice President of Public Policy for PAI stated:
"The countries spoke one by one as they made clear their united support for the ICPD Programme of Action and their belief that this document does not promote abortion or ‘underage sex' — the only two issues that the U.S. delegation allowed to seriously be discussed at this meeting.
"In some ways, the U.S. succeeded in hijacking this meeting. Delegations came here prepared to strengthen language in the Plan of Action on areas of joint concern — from women's rights, HIV/AIDS, migration and most of all, the elimination of poverty. Instead, they were met with roadblock after roadblock erected by the U.S. delegation in its singular determination to export a domestic political agenda to a region thousands of miles away.
"The U.S. delegation's singular focus on abortion and underage sex was also demonstrated by its almost always-empty chair in the committee of the whole where governments made their official statements on the critical issues facing their people. Meanwhile, the United States delegation — often in its entirety — attended drafting committee meetings.
"At the end of five grueling days, the U.S. delegation then expressed its reservation about the weakness of the document on several key issues while, in reality, it was U.S. actions that prevented further progress from being made. This adds to our dismay with the U.S. delegation's behavior."
Zonny Woods, Director of Government Relations, Action Canada for Population and Development stated:
" Most distressing is the U.S. delegation's failure to acknowledge that access to reproductive health services is already a reality for women in many countries, yet for hundreds of millions of women elsewhere, it is still a dream. It is our collective responsibility to change this."
On behalf of Philippine NGOs at the conference, Gladys F.R. Malayang, Executive Director, Women's Health Care Foundation, Philippines, stated:
"Our Philippine delegation received extreme pressure from back home, as well as inside the negotiation room, to come to the side of the U.S. delegation. At several points, we received word that the United States had complained about alleged non-cooperation and blocks made by our delegation here. In fact, the reverse is true: it was the U.S. that all along sought to undermine and block the solidarity and unity of the Asian countries with which the Philippines stood."
The Plan of Action was adopted in early afternoon, but only following recorded votes on two sections (addressing "reproductive rights and reproductive health" and "adolescent reproductive health") that were insisted upon by the United States. The United States was the sole delegation voting "no" on these two sections.
Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.
