European Sex and Abortion Report Comes Back

By Rebecca Oas, Ph.D and Wendy Wright | 2013

NEW YORK, November 22 (C-FAM) A European committee is fast-tracking a controversial report on “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” onto the European Parliament’s agenda after parliamentarians dismissed it a few weeks ago under a shower of boos from proponents of the report

Parliamentarians sent the document demanding unrestricted abortion and sex education for newborns back to committee after a fiery exchange. The committee now lists it as their first agenda item on November 25 and will vote on it the next day. It is also included in a draft agenda for the December plenary session.

One abortion activist said the report would “advance sexual reproductive health and rights – not only for Europe but on a broader international level!”

The report calls for unrestricted access to abortion, compulsory sex education in mixed-sex settings beginning at 0 – 4 years old, and assisted medical procreation for lesbian couples. Countries are to eliminate parental involvement laws and conscience rights for health care providers, guarantee funding to groups providing sexual and reproductive health services, and provide abortions to non-residents. Countries must ensure children can seek, receive and impart information on sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

The recommended sex education curriculum came under heavy criticism by protesters. “Standards for Sexuality Education” by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe provides guidelines, including: From 0 – 4 years, “Give information about enjoyment and pleasure when touching one’s body, early childhood masturbation,” and “Give the right to explore gender identities;” Ages 4 – 6 years, “Give information about same-sex relationships,” and “Help children develop respect for different norms regarding sexuality.”

Portuguese socialist Edite Estrela, who sponsored the report, blamed the original setback on “a grubby alliance of the Right and Far-Right groups,” adding that the women’s rights committee that originally approved the document would do so again.

One detractor called the women’s committee a “sheltered workshop for feminists and gay rights activists” inside the European Parliament.

Some parliamentarians expressed concern that the lengthy document was afforded only five minutes for discussion prior to voting on it, adding to suspicions the intent was to slip it through without scrutiny. “Few reports have been so controversial as the scandalous Estrela report,” said Bernd Posselt of Bavaria. “Any controversial report must be debated; anything else would be undemocratic.”

Estrela credited groups like Planned Parenthood with drafting the report. The European branch of Planned Parenthood acknowledged a growing backlash against the report after pro-life groups alerted people to it.

“We are facing a gigantic opposition campaign from highly organized radical religious groups!” wrote Planned Parenthood’s Irene Donadio. “It seems that they are succeeding with many!!!! We have never seen something like this before!!!”

Donadio credited the massive opposition to the “One of Us” campaign, a European-wide petition to protect the youngest humans. Pro-life groups throughout Europe worked together to collect 1 million signatures to protect human embryos. The “One of Us” campaign closed on November 1 with over 1.8 million signatures.

While not legally binding, if adopted the Estrela report would be an official document of the European Parliament and potentially be used to promote a right to abortion in European Union member states, and in international settings such as the UN.

The phrase “sexual and reproductive health and rights” remains a source of controversy in the global community. The contents of the Estrela report indicate the breadth of policies activists intend to attach to the phrase.

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