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December 2001
News in brief from the UN, U.S. and around the world
UNFPA Website aimed at youth promotes sex
Canada pushes abortion at UN
Virtue program for boys a success
Tokyo - free abortions if condom breaks
British anti-cloning victory
Website aimed at youth promotes sex
NEW YORK - The United Nations Population Fund for Population Activities and Marie Stopes International have launched a new sex education website, entitled "Like It Is," The site purports to give the facts about sex but actually promotes sexual activity. Launched on Oct. 25 with the help of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, the site is aimed at girls 11-16 and features graphic content including an animated video of how to put on a condom, directions on how to have sexual intercourse and how to obtain an abortion.
Although the site claims to relate only the facts, it leaves quite a number of them out, including contraception failure rates and dangers. Further, the website advises teens considering abortion to seek advice from Marie Stopes International, a leading provider of abortions around the world. The World Youth Alliance is condemning the website, noting it is "concerned by UNFPA's participation in a project so contrary to the true needs of youth ... around the world." The WYA added, "The graphic details of this UNFPA and Marie Stopes International website may be the 'like it is' of sex, but for too many teens the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of 'how it is' are much less glamorous."
Canada pushes abortion at UN
NEW YORK - Speaking before the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which is addressing "social, humanitarian and cultural" concerns, Canadian delegate Gilbert Laurin has said that such issues must be dealt with at the root by providing "reproductive health services." Laurin's abortion advocacy was reported by an official UN document on the proceedings: "To effectively address these and other problems, there has to be a promotion and protection of the reproductive rights of women, men, girls and boys, including by ensuring their access to sexual and reproductive health information, care and services."
The U.S. representative to the Committee, on the other hand, clarified that his "government understood that the term 'reproductive health services' did not endorse or support abortion services." In October, Costa Rica expressed reservations similar to that of the United States regarding the terminology.
Virtue program for boys a success
WASHINGTON - The Washington Times reports that the Best Men program, modelled on the Best Friends program for girls, is teaching teens how to be well-behaved young men. The in-school study program includes mentoring and classes, and stresses self-respect to "teach teens how to say no to smoking, drugs, alcohol and sex - and yes to ... healthy lifestyles." The Times reports, "Best Men also stresses an ideal of manhood."
Alan Holt, dean of students at Amidon Elementary School in Washington, says boys learn "how to carry themselves as gentlemen, how to conduct themselves and have respect for themselves, women, young ladies and authority figures in general." Holt's school enrolled all of its sixth-grade boys in the program in each of the last two years, which has been introduced in several schools in Washington D.C., Milwaukee, Texas and New Jersey. A survey of participants found that the number of boys who said they have had sexual intercourse in the past three months decreased by half.
Free abortions if condom breaks
Tokyo Japan - The Mainichi Daily News reports that Tokyo doctor Tsuneo Akaeda is offering to pay for abortions resulting from faulty condoms he sells. Under the scheme, Akaeda will pay for an abortion during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy if the mother sends in the condom and a photo of herself to the Girl's Guard company by registered post. If a pregnancy test is positive, she must send the results with an ultrasound scan and personal identification so the company can determine whether the time of conception matches the time the condom was broken.
British anti-cloning victory
LONDON - The Pro-Life Alliance in the U.K. has won a High Court challenge to British regulations allowing human cloning for experimentation. The pro-life group argued successfully against the government that the state did not have authority in law to regulate cloning, since it was not covered under existing legislation. The existing legislation only governs embryos created with sperm and ova, leaving cloned embryos outside the legislation. The government is appealing the ruling, but the BBC reports that the issue may force the government to reconsider the issue in Parliament.
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