H. Res. 118

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

March 23, 1999.

Whereas the United Nations General Assembly has decided

to convene a special session from June 30 to July 2,

1999, in order to review and appraise the implementation

of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development;

Whereas chapter II of the Programme of Action, which sets

forth the principles of that document, begins: ‘‘The implementation of the recommendations contained in the

Programme of Action is the sovereign right of each country, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical

values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized international human

rights.’’;

Whereas section 7.12 of the Programme of Action states:

‘‘The principle of informed [consent] is essential to the

long-term success of family-planning programmes. Any

form of coercion has no part to play.’’;

Whereas section 7.12 of the Programme of Action further

states: ‘‘Government goals for family planning should be

defined in terms of unmet needs for information and

services. Demographic goals * * * should not be imposed
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on family-planning providers in the form of targets or

quotas for the recruitment of clients.’’; and

Whereas section 7.17 of the Programme of Action states:

‘‘[g]overnments should secure conformity to human

rights and to ethical and professional standards in the

delivery of family planning and related reproductive

health services aimed at ensuring responsible, voluntary

and informed consent and also regarding service provision’’: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—

(1) no bilateral or multilateral assistance or benefit

to any country should be conditioned upon or linked to

that country’s adoption or failure to adopt population

programs, or to the relinquishment of that country’s sovereign right to implement the Programme of Action of

the International Conference on Population and Development consistent with its own national laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious

and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights;

(2)(A) family planning service providers or referral

agents should not implement or be subject to quotas, or

other numerical targets, of total number of births, number of family planning acceptors, or acceptors of a particular method of family planning;
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(B) subparagraph (A) should not be construed to

preclude the use of quantitative estimates or indicators

for budgeting and planning purposes;

(3) no family planning project should include payment of incentives, bribes, gratuities, or financial reward

to any person in exchange for becoming a family planning acceptor or to program personnel for achieving a

numerical target or quota of total number of births,

number of family planning acceptors, or acceptors of a

particular method of family planning;

(4) no project should deny any right or benefit, including the right of access to participate in any program

of general welfare or the right of access to health care,

as a consequence of any person’s decision not to accept

family planning services;

(5) every family planning project should provide

family planning acceptors with comprehensible information on the health benefits and risks of the method chosen, including those conditions that might render the use

of the method inadvisable and those adverse side effects

known to be consequent to the use of the method;

(6) every family planning project should ensure that

experimental contraceptive drugs and devices and medical procedures are provided only in the context of a sci-
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entific study in which participants are advised of potential risks and benefits; and

(7) the United States should reaffirm the principles

described in paragraphs (1) through (6) in the special

session of the United Nations General Assembly to be

held between June 30 and July 2, 1999, and in all preparatory meetings for the special session.

Attest:

Clerk.