Evaluating progress toward the application of the Program of Action for the UN World Conference on Population & Development (ICPD) which took place in Cairo in 1994 was the focus of the 30th Session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (CEPAL) of the United Nations, which began today in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  

About 300 delegates of the 41 member States of the CEPAL were present, along with 90 representatives from NGOs (non-governmental organizations), especially women and young people of both genders . 

Since CEPAL was created in 1948, members include countries of the Latin American & Caribbean region, along with other "countries that have historic economic and cultural bonds" with the region, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.  And also included of course is the Vatican, although it  is not country, but has strong cultural and economic ties with the UN and its member States. 

Although in Cairo in 1994 it was the Vatican who voiced strong opposition to the Program of Action adopted on that occasion by consensus, today it is the delegation of the United States that leads the opposition, arguing that the original Platform for Action promotes abortion and sexual activity among youth. 

In 1994, the Vatican spoke from their unique and powerful position as the papal hierarchy, but today the Bush Administration encountered internal resistance from within their own country.  At a press conference at the CEPAL,  Democratic Congressional Representative of New York, Carolyn Maloney said that the majority of the people in the United States favor human rights and support the Program of Cairo including the right of people to make their own decisions on sexuality and reproduction.” 

As evidence of her claim, Maloney presented a copy of a letter written to Secretary of State Colin Powell, signed by 104 members of Congress of both political parties, expressing their unconditional support for the Program of Action of Cairo.   Dated June 15, 2004, the letter says that “a decade ago, our country joined the consensus of 178 nations at the ICPD in Cairo, Egypt, promising to comply with the goals of the Program of Action.  We urge you to maintain that promise of reaffirming the commitment of our country to the Cairo Consensus.”

Malloney explained that she and U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, also a Democrat from New York, had spoken with the official US delegation that morning, asking them about rumors that they were pressuring countries economically to oppose reaffirmation of the Cairo Program. “They told us that it was not true, so we asked that they state this explicitly in their speech at this meeting of CEPAL, and to include assurances that there will be no conditions imposed on other countries,” she said. Malloney admitted that the US delegation did not respond, but had said they would do so later. She clarified that in terms of conditions, they were referring not only to funding for health programs, but also to the free trade agreements. 

Ironically, Central America is the region in the CEPAL membership that has expressed the greatest hesitancy  to reaffirm Cairo without reservation.  During this same time, this same region is in the middle of decisionmaking about whether or not to sign CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) with the US.  As a result, the initiatives of these Democratic Congresspersons is important to help lessen the potential impact of these "rumors".