Leaked letter suggests US is rallying UN member states to oppose abortion

Attempt to ‘roll back the clock’ condemned as governments are urged to oppose UN support for reproductive rights

Liz Ford
@lizfordguardian
Mon 23 Sep 2019 07.00 BST

The US is understood to have written to UN member states urging them to join a “growing coalition” of countries rallying against abortion, in what seems to be the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rollback women’s rights.

A letter, seen by the Guardian, is believed to have been sent to governments deemed sympathetic to the administration’s view on reproductive health.

In the letter, apparently signed by the secretary of state Mike Pompeo and health and human services secretary Alex Azar, governments are encouraged to sign a joint statement opposing “harmful” UN policies that promote sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The statement will be presented to a high-level meeting on universal health coverage at the UN general assembly on Monday, says the letter, which suggests multilateral agreements have been misinterpreted to promote pro-choice policies.

“As a key priority in global health promotion, we respectfully request that your government join the United States in ensuring that every sovereign state has the ability to determine the best way to protect the unborn and defend the family as the foundational unity of society vital to children thriving and leading healthy lives,” reads the letter.

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