Doc. 9094
10 May 2001

Impact of the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy (Global Gag Rule) by President Bush of the United States of America

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Zwerver and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       Considering that of the 380 women who became pregnant every minute, 190 of them did not wish to become pregnant, 110 will suffer from pregnancy-related complications and 40 will have an unsafe abortion;

2.       Recalling that point 8.25 of the Programme of Action of the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo 1994, to which the member states of the Council of Europe are signatory , states that:

      "All governments and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations are urged to strengthen their commitment to women’s health, to deal with the impact of unsafe abortion as a major public health concern and to reduce the recourse to abortion through expanded and improved family planning services.

      In circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe.";

3. Drawing attention to the recent decision of the United States Bush administration to reinstate the Mexico City Policy thereby cutting funds to non-governmental organisations which are engaged on “abortion-related activities”;

4. Noting that the Mexico City Policy targets non-governmental organisations based outside the United States which legally carry activities in other countries;

5. Noting that this loss of US funding could mean a loss of more than 10 million Euros for European non-governmental organisations legally carrying out activities in Europe and around the world which aim to improve access to family planning, sexual and reproductive health and rights services for women, men and young people;

6. Considering it unacceptable that the fate of millions of women world-wide should be jeopardised by this decision of President Bush;

7. Recognising the European governments and ministers, parliamentarians and non-governmental organisations which have spoken out against the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy,

8. The Assembly decides:

i.       to study the following aspects of the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy:

a.       the impact of the United States’ role in the international and UN system in the light of the recent examples of reneging upon agreed agreements based on international consensus,

b.       the extraterritorial nature of the Mexico City Policy which targets non-US, non-governmental organisations, carrying out activities which are legal in the country where they are taking place and funded by non-US funding,

c.       the impact on women worldwide who will be the first victims of President Bush’s decision,

d.       the projected incidence on the reduction of abortions,

e.       the impact on the sexual and reproductive health and rights situation in Europe;

ii.       to devise an appropriate response to the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, particularly looking into the aspects of funding and freedom of expression.

Signed:¹

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Cilevics, Latvia, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Err, Luxembourg, SOC

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Herczog, Hungary, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Jones, United Kingdom, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Kautto, Finland, SOC

Lippelt, Germany, LDR

Lörcher, Germany, SOC

Mutman, Turkey, SOC

Ponsonby, United Kingdom, SOC

Schieder, Austria, SOC

Severinsen, Denmark, LRD

Szinyei, Hungary, EPP/CD

Vanoost, Belgium, SOC

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

Vis, United Kingdom, SOC

Yaňez-Barnuevo, Spain, SOC

Zapfl-Helbling, Switzerland, EPP/CD

Zwerver, Netherlands, SOC

      SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group