Asunción, Paraguay, Nov 18, 2010 / 18:41 pm

Paraguay’s House of Representatives voted Nov. 9 against ratifying the “Ibero-American Convention on Young People's Rights,” a document that obliges countries that sign it to promote reproductive and sexual health, gender ideology and “freedom of sexual orientation.”
 
Despite pressure from international organizations such as the United Nations, the Paraguayan Congress voted against accepting the convention because of its promotion of “sexual and reproductive health,” a euphemism for liberal access to contraceptives and abortion. It also includes “sexual orientation” among the criteria for protection against discrimination, without specifying what the term means.
 
Homosexual activists voiced enthusiastic support of the convention when it was drafted in Bajadajoz, Spain, in October of 2005, and now they are seeking to get it ratified throughout Latin America.
 
Cristian Kriskovich of the Federation of Associations for Life and the Family in Paraguay told CNA the Convention was rejected by Paraguayan lawmakers because “they understand the dangers this document poses for our legal tradition, our young people and our families.”
 
He said making sexual orientation into a human right and protecting it against discrimination is “an attack on our legal system and on Paraguayan tradition and culture. We hope the Senate will follow suit.”
 
Carlos Polo of the Population Research Institute told CNA: “Instead of discussing these issues openly, the Spanish organizers (of the convention) opted for the shadowy actions of certain lobbyists. It is increasingly evident they want to avoid a public debate because they know it will be rejected by the people, as has been the case in Paraguay.”
 
“Up to now only a few countries have ratified the convention since it was signed in 2005. In those countries there was no public debate. The various organizations in civil society should demand a complete overhaul of this convention so that it responds to the genuine interests of young people."

Polo also called for the punishment of those who were "anti-democratically" pushing the convention, which he dubbed “ideological contraband.”
 
The convention has so far been ratified by seven countries: Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.  It has been signed, but not yet ratified, by Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal and Venezuela.