NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      NEW YORK (CWNews.com) - The head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), addressing the annual non-governmental organization (NGO) conference this week, called for a new emphasis on "reproductive freedom."

      The conference, which was focused on the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, gathered more than 2,000 representatives from 600 NGOs. Dr. Nafis Sadik, director of the UNFPA said that "fundamental to freedom of choice are decisions concerning reproductive and sexual health ... A number of issues still limit women's freedom to exercise their right to reproductive health." One of those limiting factors has been identified as organized religion by population control proponents in UN-connected groups. UN documents and initiatives often use the term reproductive health as a euphemism for birth control and abortion.

      Sadik also called for freedom from "sexual and reproductive health" restrictions and said UNFPA was proud to have supported initiatives that called for extending the "right to reproductive health" to youth.