Text of the statement:
Thank you for this opportunity. Distinguished delegates, representatives, and other participants, I deliver this statement on behalf of the Christian Council International and the Youth who felt unheard during the drafting of this Pact, who held a conference in Nairobi in May this year.
We wish to commend the dedication that went into the making of this comprehensive document. However, some central issues need to be embedded in the document, in order to have an effective Pact.
Firstly, traditional families need to be respected, protected and promoted. They are the cornerstones of societies and any efforts toward their strengthening will uphold the fabric of our communities. This together with the differentiating respect for the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death should be the guiding principles in this document.
Religious freedom is another cornerstone that must be more strongly upheld in the Pact. With more than 85% of the world population being religious, the right to express one’s faith freely is a basic human right.
Finally, we call for the usage of consensual language to prevent divergence. SRHR has never been accepted in any binding UN document. The ICPD Programme of Action 1994, recognizes the duties of parents in the appropriate direction and guidance in sexual and reproductive matters. This definition can therefore be a better reflection of consensual language.
To conclude, we urge that the principles we mentioned are explicitly woven into commitments we make today, in order to have a pact that leaves no one behind.
Thank you.