The "International cooperation for access to justice, remedies and assistance for survivors of sexual violence," condemns "all forms of sexual and gender-based violence" and urges countries "to provide victims and survivors access to justice, reparations and assistance."
80 member countries, including the US and many members of the EU, co-sponsored language defining abortion as a human right. 33 nations, many of which are African, opposed the resolution.
“Each country should decide its abortion laws at the national level without external interference,” said a Nigerian delegate during a debate. “Countries should help women avoid abortion and provide mothers and their children with health-care and social support.” Nigeria went on to argue that defining abortion as a human right "creates the danger that women will be pressured to abort their babies."
Nigeria proposed several amendments to change the resolution, but they did not gain enough support to pass.
UN resolutions are nonbinding for member nations, but there is still reason for pro-lifers to be concerned. C-Fam vice president for legal studies Stefano Gennarini told CNA that resolutions are binding “both in terms of the programs and norms the U.N. system promotes globally.” He also expressed concern that activist judges in domestic and international courts might use the resolution as evidence for a human right to abortion.
