Hon Joe Goodhew,

Minister of Women’s Affairs

Parliament Building,

Wellington.

 

Dear Ms Goodhew,

 

Convention for the Elimination of All Discrimination against Women [CEDAW]

 

Right to Life is concerned that the New Zealand Family Planning Association continues to act in the belief that Article 12 of CEDAW includes a “human right” to abortion.

 

Article 12 states, “ Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care to ensure on a basis of equality of men and women access to health care service, including those related to family planning.”

 

New Zealand is a signatory to this Convention, having signed on 20 December 1984.

It is our understanding, that it was the intention of the General Assembly on 18 December 1979, in adopting this Convention, that it was the intention of member States to exclude abortion as a part of family planning.

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