On Monday and Tuesday, heads of state and government authorities will intervene in a UN General Assembly, but it will be virtual because of the pandemic.
ELYSSA KOREN
Director of United Nations Advocacy - ADF International
“It's an important moment for the Heads of State to come and to track what the UN is doing right with regard to the pandemic, and also what it's doing wrong and what the international situation of human rights is, specifically with regard to the pandemic.”
Elyssa Koren has been closely following the UN's activities, on behalf of Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization that protects life, the family and religious freedom.
She is concerned that some UN bodies will use the pandemic to promote measures in favor of abortion.
ELYSSA KOREN
ADF International
“Just last week, for instance, the Secretary General gave a speech to a town hall meeting, and he identified reproductive health services—which is abortion—as the number one response that the UN should have with regard to the pandemic. So these are the kinds of things that we’d like to see Heads of States responding to, to really give their national positions in terms of whether or not this is the things that the UN should be saying.”
Last week, member states voted on a resolution on anti-coronavirus measures.
The Vatican's permanent observer was surprised that they should include so-called “reproductive rights.” The idea also surprised the U.S., which had voted against that resolution.
When Pope Francis spoke five years ago before the General Assembly, he asked for the protection of life in all its stages.
POPE FRANCIS
“...the absolute respect of life in all its stages and dimensions.”
In the fight against the coronavirus, the Vatican also asks that future vaccines be made available to everyone. It calls for measures to help the elderly; a reform of the international economic system; and a reduction of poor countries' debts.
Javier Martínez-Brocal
Translation: CT
