Washington D.C., Apr 26, 2007 / 08:52 am
Women for Life International has joined the protest of Amnesty International's proposal to adopt a stance in favor of abortion. The pro-life group sent a letter to Amnesty International Executive Committee members informing them of their position.
Since the human rights organization put “reproductive rights” on its agenda, numerous other pro-life groups have sent Amnesty International (AI) a similar message.
AI's history has been to defend the very basic right to life and liberty of all human life, Women for Life noted. Adoption of a pro- abortion policy seriously undercuts the right to life through the destruction of other, less defenseless, human life.
“Women for Life International is looking to AI to protect all women and children, born and pre-born, from the violence and exploitation of legal abortion,” said the organization’s written statement.
"The proposed policy is not only in direct conflict of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights … but adoption of such a policy will set a precedent for worldwide, unfettered fetal genocide; worldwide exploitation of pregnant women, especially poor women; and a worldwide epidemic of violence against women and the girl child,” said Molly White, co-founder of the U.S.-based pro-life group.
Many nations are now facing a substantial gender imbalance due to forced abortion and gender-selected abortion, the group added.
"Where is amnesty for these women and their pre-born children? This proposed policy will be seen as an endorsement of the inhumane treatment of pregnant women who are forced to abort their children," added Denise Mountenay, co-founder of Women for Life International and founder of Canada Silent No More.
Both White and Mountenay are concerned about AI's proposed policy and the potential backlash on women, particularly in China. Recently, The China Aid Association reported that a total of 61 women and their unborn children became victims of a recent campaign of forced abortion in Guangxi province.
“If AI supports legal abortion in certain circumstances it undermines opposition in other circumstances,” the pro-life group proposed in a statement.