The International Organization for the Family, along with over 20 European pro-life and pro-family organizations, has just signed the “Say No to Matic Report” sponsored by Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, a leading Polish organization dedicated to promoting a legal culture based on respect for human dignity and rights.
On May 11, 2021, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the European Union adopted a report on sexual and reproductive rights drafted by European Parliament Member Predrag Fred Matic. The report calls for the recognition of abortion and compulsory sex education supporting the LGBT agenda as universal human rights, despite both being repeatedly rejected as such at the international level. Ominously, the report calls for the suppression of speech that opposes the radical definition of “reproductive and sexual rights.” The report is expected to be voted on in the European Parliament on June 24; while the adoption of the report would not create binding law on EU member states, it would exert strong pressure on them to adopt its radical positions.
The petition opposes the Matic Report and the draft parliamentary resolution supporting it on three grounds.
First, it opposes the attempt to promote abortion and compulsory radical sex education as universal human rights. The petition states that both the report and resolution
“misrepresent the concept of ‘reproductive and sexual rights’ as a binding international obligation and an element of human rights. In particular, it is objectionable that both the report and draft resolution call the member states to provide access to abortion as a ‘human right.’ The report also completely ignores ongoing international opposition against recognition of abortion as a ‘human right.’ In addition, it disregards the wide disagreement about the introduction of the phrase ‘reproductive and sexual rights’ into international legal documents.”
Indeed, this is the exact same position that had been taken by the Trump administration and Administrator John Barsa of the United States Agency for International Development in regard to “reproductive and sexual rights.”
Second, the petition opposes the recommendation of the report and resolution to silence those opposed to the radical definition of “sexual and reproductive rights.” As the petition states,
“[T]he report and the draft of the resolution unprecedently attack universal human rights and liberties [such] as [the] right to self-consciousness and freedom of speech. Both documents consider opposition to the concept of ‘reproductive and sexual rights’ as disruptive to democracy and call to limit the right to expression of such an opposition. Such an attitude is in clear conflict with the fundamental values of European integration, democracy, and European civilization.”
Third, the petition opposes the power grab by the EU as issues relating to sexual and reproductive health fall under the jurisdiction of individual member states. The petition states:
“[U]nder Article 6 and Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the issue of sexual and reproductive health falls within the scope of national health policy, in relation to which the EU has only ancillary authority and may not seek to harmonize this law across the Members States. The lack of authority of the European Union to interfere in the health policies of the Member States has been repeatedly confirmed by the European Commission itself.”
For these three reasons, organizations and individuals are urged to sign the petition.
IOF President Brian Brown said that his organization is proud to sign the petition. “The petition clearly opposes a radical definition of ‘reproductive and sexual rights’ that aims to destroy the family and the culture of life,” Brown declared. “Importantly, the petition strongly opposes the shutting down of debate on this issue. When you know your position is weak, you always try to silence your opponent.”
For more information about the petition or to sign it, please visit https://stopmaticreport.org.