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Seksuele en Reproduktieve Rechten en Gezondheid toch in EU-verklaring

Malta, Polen en Ierland lagen tot op het laatste moment dwars, maar konden toch niet voorkomen dat de Sloveens EU-woordvoerder het belang van SRRG zoals het in het jargon heet onderstreepte. Er is namelijk een compromis in de Europese Unie: er mag niet teruggekomen worden op eerder ingenomen standpunten in de internationale arena. Dus wat in de VN-conferenties in Kairo en Beijing is aanvaard als standpunten over seksuele en reproduktieve rechten en gezondheid blijft staan, maar er mag eigenlijk niets aan worden toegevoegd. Dat was, onder meer door inspanning van de Nederlandse regeringsdelegatie, toch gelukt. De Polen waren zo boos dat ze het protocol wilden doorbreken: ze wilden een statement afgeven dat ze tegen abortus zijn, zonder eerst de aanwezige ministers uit andere landen aan het woord te laten, zoals het protocol voorschrijft.
Tsja dan was Sudan slimmer: die hadden wel een minister gestuurd die dan ook vrij snel het woord kreeg. In Sudan was eigenlijk geen sprake van geweld tegen vrouwen, jammer dat sommige soldaten uit de VN-vredesmacht misbruik maakten van hun positie, maar verder was alles OK.

Leontine Bijleveld (WO=MEN en Netwerk VN-Vrouwenverdrag)

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