97.7 Elimination Of Coercive Population Control Methods In The Third World Countries
Whereas, Section 107(d), Platform for Action and Beijing Declaration (4th World Conference on Women Report) PFA, asks governments to take action “to reinforce laws, reform institutions and promote norms and practices that eliminate discrimination against women and encourage both women and men to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive behaviour, to ensure the conditions necessary for women to exercise their reproductive rights and to eliminate coercive laws and practices; and
Whereas, Section 109(b), PFA, requires that governments promote gender-sensitive and women-centred health research, treatment and technology and link traditional and indigenous knowledge with modern medicine, making information available to women to enable them to make informed and responsible decisions; and
Whereas, Paragraph #156, 1985 Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies states, “The ability of women to control their own fertility forms an important basis for the enjoyment of other rights.... all couples and individuals have the basic human right to decide freely and informedly the number and spacing of their children”; and
Whereas, Section 106 (g.h.), PFA and International Conference on Population and Development Report, Cairo 1994 (ICPD) ensures responsible, informed free choice and consent by providing complete and accurate information on a full range of methods of family planning and medical options, including potential benefits and side-effects, that enables individuals and couples to make voluntary informed decisions; and
Whereas, ICPD 7.17 requests the establishment of systems for monitoring and evaluating user-centred services to detect, prevent and control abuses by family planning managers and providers and improve quality of services; and
Whereas, ICPD Principles 4, 8 and 10 place emphasis on the promotion of women's reproductive health including family planning and on their economic, educational and social development; and
Whereas, Fearing that the human rights of some third world women are being violated by the experimental use of contraceptives without proper informed consent, and by the coercive use of contraceptives; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
- Continue to support only those international aid agencies that provide, to all women and men when counseling methods of family planning, complete and unbiased information, including information on any long-term side effects and complications, allowing them to freely choose their preferred method; and
- Denounce in the strongest possible terms the exploitation of women of developing countries for the testing of contraceptives; and
- Support the economic and social development of women as an integral part of its foreign aid; and
Be it further resolved, That the National Council of Women of Canada request the International Council of Women to urge their National Councils in nations where it is felt that the human rights of their women are being violated by the experimental use of contraceptives without proper consent, and by coercive use of contraceptives, to report this to the International Council of Women and appropriate international agencies.