Standing Up for Life Against the Systematic Extermination of the Unborn Affected with Down Syndrome at the U.N.
The abortion industry is once again using abortion to accomplish an evil eugenics agenda worldwide. One nation even claims to have used abortion to eradicate Down syndrome – proudly slaughtering innocent babies.
Let’s not fool ourselves. It's not about curing a disability. It’s about killing children.
We recently reported that Iceland has embraced a contemporary practice of eugenics in order to “cure” Down syndrome through abortion: “Armed with state funded prenatal screening and the goal “to educate,” for nearly a decade, Iceland has facilitated the death of ‘every single…fetus with Down syndrome . . . .’”
We have not let this violation of unborn babies’ human rights go unnoticed in the past, and we refuse to ignore this atrocity at present or in the future.
For example, we have defended the rights of physicians to not provide screening for genetic abnormalities that might encourage the termination of the unborn. We have also chastised the United Nations for failing to condemn eugenics practiced through genetic screening and the abortion of children with Down syndrome. And, most recently, we revealed the U.N. Human Rights Committee’s revulsive attempt to revise its General Comment on Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – the “Right to life” – to now include support for abortions and euthanasia, essentially rewriting the “Right to life” to be the right to kill unborn babies.
In light of these disturbing developments, today, through our international affiliate – the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) – we delivered a crucial oral intervention at the 36th regular session of the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) on behalf of unborn children affected with Down syndrome:
The ECLJ would like to direct this Council’s attention to the use of prenatal testing.
The program of action of the Durban Conference in Paragraph 73 (Report of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance): “Urges States to take measures to prevent genetic research or its applications (…) from being used for discriminatory or racist purposes.”
With the rise of prenatal screening tests across the world, Down syndrome people are facing the threat of eradication and some countries, such as Iceland, are on the verge of eradicating all Down syndrome births.
This systematic elimination of affected children before -- or even at birth -- is a contemporary form of eugenics and racism. This new form of eugenics is unacceptable because:
- These children can live a happy life.
- Children and adults with Down syndrome are treated and seen as a failure by the health system and society.
- And most importantly: in the name of liberty and choice, children are selected and disposed of because of their genetics and appearance.
These unacceptable discriminations must stop. The HRC must recognize and recall the inherent dignity of every human person, from conception to death, before the medical profession “eradicates” another innocent group of children.
This is not just an Icelandic problem. As we recently posited: “In Denmark, 98 percent of all children suspected of Down syndrome are terminated. In France, the number reaches 77 percent, and even in the United States, 67 percent are killed before they even have a chance.”
No mother should be coerced to contemplate the mortality of her unborn child or be complicit in his or her death. Iceland and the rest of the international community must recognize the inherent dignity of the human person, from conception to death, before the medical profession “eradicates” another innocent group of children.
We will continue to fight for the lives of the unborn.
On October 6th, we have been asked to submit critical legal filings at the U.N. Human Rights Committee in order to defend the lives of unborn babies. The “Right to life” must not be rewritten. This is the most crucial U.N. filing for life we’ve ever made. If we don’t act millions more babies will die.
Our deadline is looming. Take action with us. Be a voice for the defenseless.