NEWS SHORTS FOR TUESDAY

Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information.

UNFPA Signs Letter of Intent

Harold Robinson, director of UNFPA Sub-regional Office for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, receives the signed letter of intent from Lucella Campbell, senior programme advisor, International Planned Parenthood Federation (Western Hemisphere), while Julia Roberts, country director, Population Services International Caribbean, looks on. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer You know what they say: there is strength in numbers and many hands make hard work light. Great things are, therefore, expected from the signing of a letter of intent between the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Population Services International (PSI). The signing took place at UNFPA's office on Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston last Monday.
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Population Debate at the U.N.

The UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) just closed its 42nd session—significant partly because it is the 15th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), but especially noteworthy to family and pro-life advocates in the United States because of the recent administration change. Language like "sexual and reproductive health services" and "reproductive rights" is sometimes construed to support abortion, although the ICPD Programme of Action from 1994 says abortion "idno case should be promoted as a method of family planning." Tozzi said, "This year we're seeing a much, much bigger push of such language."
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Pregnant Teens May Get Private Medical Care Without Telling Parents in North Dakota

Legislation in the North Dakota House gives pregnant teenagers the right to get limited prenatal medical care without telling their parents. The House has rejected similar proposals in the past four years. On Monday House members voted 64-27 to approve the bill. It now goes to the state Senate for more work. The measure says a pregnant girl who is younger than 18 may get prenatal care during the first three months without getting permission from her parents. One private prenatal visit is also allowed when the teenager is in the second or third trimester of her pregnancy.
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Notre Dame Students Protest Obama With Prayer

Hundreds of anti-abortion advocates gathered Sunday at the foot of the Golden Dome for a prayerful protest of Obama's planned commencement address and honorary law degree. Following the advice of leading Catholic bishops, student organizers said they were no longer calling for the university to withdraw its invitation to Obama, who supports abortion rights, to speak at the May graduation ceremony.
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Antiabortion Advocates To Lobby Against Confirmation Of HHS Sec. Nominee Sebelius During Recess

Abortion-rights opponents intend to use the two-week congressional recess that began on Friday to lobby against the confirmation of HHS secretary nominee Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) because of her support for abortion rights, CQ HealthBeat reports. Although the Senate initially appeared on track to confirm Sebelius last week, Sen. Jim Bunning's (R-Ky.) objection to a measure that would have brought the nomination to a vote in the Senate Finance Committee means that a decision will not take place until after the Senate returns on April 20. Judie Brown, president of the American Life League, said antiabortion-rights advocates were "shocked" by the delay in Sebelius' confirmation hearing. "Now we have an opportunity," she added. According to Brown, ALL intends to work with other antiabortion-rights groups during the recess to urge Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, both Kansas Republicans, to use "senatorial courtesy" to object to Sebelius' nomination.
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