The governments of the Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Uganda and the United States cosponsored a virtual October 22, 2020 gathering in Washington, D.C. for a multinational ceremonial signing of the Geneva Consensus Declaration (so-called because it was intended to occur in Geneva before the live meeting of the World Health Assembly was postponed due to COVID-19). This Declaration further strengthens the coalition to achieve these four pillars: (1) better health for women, (2) the preservation of human life, (3) strengthening of family as the foundational unit of society, and (4) protecting every nation's national sovereignty in global politics. For example, it is the sovereign right of every nation to make their own laws in regard to abortion, absent external pressure.
We believe that finding genuine solutions to health concerns should be a priority uniting Member States. This Declaration charts a positive way forward for accelerating progress on achieving this end.
The Declaration remains open for additional signatures. Contact jointstatement@hhs.gov for more information.
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This is a translation of: https://www.rd.nl/vandaag/buitenland/geneefse-verklaring-abortus-geen-internationaal-recht-1.1706986
Geneva Declaration: Abortion not international law
International desk, 24 October 2020
This is stated in the Geneva Consensus Declaration that was signed virtually on Thursday by ministers and other high-level representatives of 32 countries. The states, with a combined population of more than 1.6 billion, are joining forces to improve women's health and strengthen the position of the family.
To this end, the drafters formulated four "pillars": improving women's health, protecting human life, strengthening the family as the cornerstone of society, and protecting each country's national sovereignty in international politics.
In particular, the document contains a number of affirmations and emphasizations of existing rights, principles and objectives. Among other things, it "reaffirms" the statement that "women's human rights are inalienable" and that the family is "the natural and fundamental group unit of society, which is entitled to the protection of society and the state”.
Abortion, according to the authors, "should never be promoted as a method of family planning”. The declaration further states that the issuance of rules on termination of pregnancy may only take place according to the national legislative process.
Six countries -Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Uganda and the United States- were the sponsors of the initiative. The signing should have taken place in the margins of the meeting of the World Health Council in Geneva, but the latter was postponed due to corona. The signing now took place virtually with a ceremony in Washington, which was attended by the American Ministers of State and Health, Mike Pompeo and Alex Azar.
The list of countries that signed the declaration also includes a number of states, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Belarus, which are not so close to human rights in general and women's rights in particular. It is also noteworthy that Poland and Hungary have joined the initiative. Both countries are under fire in the EU for alleged violation of the rule of law.