Any person of normal intelligence, compassion and integrity opposes the violation of women’s human rights, more so those who have accepted the immense responsibility for advocating and upholding such freedoms, including the United Nations Commission On The Status Of Women (UNCSW). On March 17, 2023 this organization concluded its 67th Session at the U.N. Yet during the eleven days of speeches, seminars, and workshops there was utter silence on a harrowing issue which women inside occupied Tibet and East Turkestan are facing. History was repeating itself.
In March 2013 that organization and associated Women’s Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) hosted the 57th Session Of the UNCSW and had as a priority theme the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
Unbelievable as it may seem the organizers and participants of that event decided to ignore completely the troubling issue of forced sterilizations, clearly a harrowing example of violence against women, violations which are a central feature of China’s coercive population program. Yet the concerned sister-hood which convened in New York turned their backs on the suffering of women facing forced sterilizations in China, occupied Tibet, East Turkestan, India, Uzbekistan and Israel. A joint statement issued by leading UN agencies on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls completely avoided the issue! See HERE
This selective circus ( pre-Covid insanity) arrived in town and issued a number of fine sounding declarations on women’s rights,including this:
(i) Ensure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the provision of high quality and universally accessible reproductive and sexual health services across the lifecycle and comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services; (based on E/CN.6/2014/4 para 88 (n))
Source: Commission on the Status of Women 58th Session March 10-21 2014, ‘Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls Draft agreed conclusions
See the emphasis operating there, a default position in which reproductive rights are defined as provision of health or birth related services, not a word on the right of women not to be forcibly sterilized!
It’s a tragic oversight that this UN body and Women’s NGOs ignore the deeply troubling violence being inflicted upon countless women as a result of enforcing China’s notorious one child policy. The silence has to stop and if the UNCSW is to retain any moral authority it can no longer ignore these atrocities against women.
To that end we have created a petition to help draw attention to this issue, and would be most grateful if you may kindly consider signing and/or posting on your Blog or Facebook. Thanks for your support.
https://www.change.org/p/calling-upon-uncsw-and-ngo-forum-to-oppose-china-s-forced-sterilizations
Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence 