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MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
U.N. urges Poland to 'liberalize' abortion law
Report criticized as attack on sovereignty by human-rights panel

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Posted: November 10, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern


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� 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
In a compliance review at the conclusion of its recent session, the U.N. Human Rights Commission cited Poland for having "restrictive" abortion laws.

The report, released Friday at the conclusion of a three-week winter session, said Poland's state party "should liberalize its legislation and practice on abortion."

A leading Polish pro-life group criticized the report as a "U.N. attack on the sovereignty of Poland."


Lech Kowalewski, spokesman for the Polish Federation of Pro-life Movements, told LifeSiteNews.com he is concerned the report might influence the Polish government to adopt a pro-abortion bill under consideration.

The report, which evaluates compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, reiterated the panel's "deep concern about restrictive abortion laws in Poland, which might incite women to seek unsafe, illegal abortions, with attendant risks to their life and health."

The committee said it also was "concerned at the unavailability of abortion in practice even when the law permitted it, for example in cases of pregnancy resulting from rape, and by the lack of information on the use of the conscientious objection clause by medical practitioners who refused to carry out legal abortions."

The committee composed of 18 U.N. human-rights specialists met with Polish officials Oct. 27 and 28.

LifeSiteNews.com notes that while the U.N. and the ICCPR do not officially promote abortion, both have been criticized for meddling in the issue.

The committee said Poland's state party "should assure the availability of contraceptives and free access to family planning services and methods. The Ministry of Education should ensure that schools include accurate and objective sexual education in their curricula."

Addressing the issue of "sexual orientation," the human rights panel stated, "The Committee is concerned that the right of sexual minorities not to be discriminated against is not fully recognised, and that discriminatory acts and attitudes against persons on the ground of sexual orientation are not adequately investigated and punished."

Poland's state party, the committee said, "should provide appropriate training to law enforcement and judicial officials in order to sensitise them to the rights of sexual minorities. Discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation should be specifically prohibited in Polish law."

Polish lawmakers who back abortion hailed the U.N. report.

"These regulations have to be changed but that needs serious discussion," Cezary Mizejewski, secretary of state at the Social Affairs Ministry, told Reuters. "It is good that we have [the U.N.] report and it will reopen this discussion. We cannot keep to the old view that everything is fine and just close our eyes."

Parliament member Anna Sobecka, however, insisted abortion should be completely outlawed, calling it "murder."

"What is a baby, even one created by rape, guilty of that we commit him to death?"

The committee includes representatives from Tunisia, France, Egypt, Colombia and the United States.

I pray Poland does not yield to the UN nonsence and learns a lesson from observing the US.

They have the belssings of God upon them, though things are hard, they will see the prosperity of their people because of their faith and steadfastness to God's Commandments.

Very well stated. Cheers to Parilament member Sobecka!

Good for Sobecka! The Poles are proud, tough, and resilient. They have successfully stood up to bigger entities than the U.N. I hope they stand firm on this.

Does the U.N. think Poland is still under Soviet Communism?

I have a sneaky suspicion that this "review" by the UNHRC is indirectly linked to Poland's foreign debt obligations!

This has been the MO employed against debt-laden developing countries far too long.

Amado

Charles:

I didn't know that Poland successfully withstood the onslaught of the Milky Way Galaxy Federation's Dark Forces! :p

Amado

An aspiring Jedi!

Too bad the UN fails to see LIFE as a human right....

Gaudior, who suspects it may be because the UN "chapel" has a cube to meditate at...not a living God

Dear Ms. G:

Is that so? Not an inverted Pyramid or whatever?

Fascinating!

Amado

Poland did do a creditable job of standing up to the Soviet Union for years. The Pope did a pretty good job in that regard long before he became Pope. I am really hopeful that they can stand up to secularism equally as well. BTW, I am now far too old to aspire to be a Jedi! Ah, the joys and aspirations of youth.

Charles:

So, you think the Soviet Union was bigger than the U.N.O.?

You might be right in some sense!

Amado

I am probably older than you but doesn't a Jedi live to more than a thousand years?

May the force be with you!

"Ms."??
ROTFLMAO

Gaudior, who is NOT Ms. anything...

The thousand years sounds nice. Speaking of age, the one thing I liked about Islam was that thing about having the 40 virgins in paradise, although in my case, it would be too much, too late - 40 years too late. Some Paradise! Yes, I think the Soviet Union was capable of inflicting more harm on the Poles than the U.N., at least in the sense of outright repression and being a physical threat to safety.

Charles:

Why think of Islam's heavenly paradise when you, as a Muslim, legally can have 4 wives and a well-stocked harem here on earth?

Amado

So true! But having had difficulty getting along with one woman at a time, I don't feel up to dealing with 4!

Charles:

Alex seems to have no difficulty at all!

Amado