A Mother's Promise the World Must Keep

Cairo + 10

Press Release # 12

June 30, 2004, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Team Prensa Mujer en CEPAL/RIF-FIRE
(Margarita Melgar) Translated by Claudia Anfossi

A coalition of organizations today urged the Bush Administration to comply with the commitments made by governments worldwide in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, to help meet the reproductive health needs of women and their families throughout the developing world.  Today at the 30th Session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) of the UN, a coalition of organizations including the US-based NGO (non-governmental organization), "A Mother's Promise The World Must Keep," today presented a report showing widespread support throughout the United States for the Program of Action of the original 1994 Cairo conference. The program is being evaluated 10 years later in this session of the CEPAL.  This report tries to offset the attempts of the US government to revoke the 1994 Cairo agreements during this CEPAL session.

In recent years at various international meetings, US governmental delegations have tried to weaken the historical commitment of 1994 in Cairo directed towards the fight against poverty, sickness and environmental degradation through programs that promote reproductive health, education and sustainable development.

Representatives from the US NGO, A Mother’s Promise The World Must Keep, defended and demanded re-affirmation of the Cairo agreements, in the name of the people of the US, its local communities and elected representatives, including several  members of the US Congress.

Carmen Barroso, Regional Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, affirmed that the hidden assault of the US government on the Cairo Agreements is an attack on reproductive health rights and the global environment and contradicts the positions of the Catholic Church and many other religious communities.  Barroso agreed with US Rep. Carolyn Maloney who noted that the majority of members of the U.S. Congress disagree with the Bush Administration stand  against the Cairo agreements. Barroso noted that the recent virtually unanimous decision at the meeting in Santiago, Chile, in support of the Cairo Agreements, demonstrated that the people of the Western Hemisphere defend the right of each woman, man and youth to control their reproductive options. She declared that President Bush has to quit trying to impose his ultra conservative positions on the people of this hemisphere, since they do not represent the views of the majority in the U.S.. If as Bush has said, his desire to help America is genuine, the people whom this help is directed towards must also enjoy the freedom to use this assistance  in their own way, according to their own ethical and professional principles and values.

Likewise, Carolyn Whitaker of the National Wildlife Federation talked about how population growth has exacerbated water shortages, as well as pollution and degradation of agricultural lands and ecosystems, all of which are problems that deepen poverty. Whitaker said: "We cannot relieve poverty without protecting the environment and seeking sustainable development. But we will not be able to reach real sustainable development without putting into practice the Cairo agreements. " 

Among others, this declaration was supported by the US Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who led the US-based organizations that  attended the 30th session of the CEPAL, including Catholics for Free Choice, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Communications Consortium, The International Coalition for Women’s Health, The International Coalition for Women's Health, the National Wildlife Federation, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.