IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 102
Reaffirming the principles of the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development with respect to the sovereign
rights of countries and the right of voluntary and informed consent
in family planning programs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 9, 1999
Mr. TIAHRT (for himself, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. HILL
of Montana, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and
Mr. BUYER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Reaffirming the principles of the Programme of Action of
the International Conference on Population and Develop-
ment with respect to the sovereign rights of countries
and the right of voluntary and informed consent in fam-
ily planning programs.
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 Con-
ference on Population and Development;
Whereas chapter II of the Programme of Action, which sets
forth the principles of that document, begins ‘‘[t]he im-
•HRES 102 IH
plementation of the recommendations contained in the
Programme of Action is the sovereign right of each coun-
try, consistent with national laws and development prior-
ities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical
values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in con-
formity with universally recognized international human
rights’’;
Whereas chapter VII of the Programme of Action states
‘‘[a]ny form of coercion has no part to play’’ in family
planning programs; 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 provi-
sion’’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that—
(1) bilateral assistance, multilateral assistance,
or any other form of assistance or benefits to any
country should not be conditioned upon, or linked to,
that country’s adoption of population programs, tar-
gets, goals, or quotas, or to any other relinquish-
ment of the country’s sovereign right to implement
the Programme of Action of the International Con-
ference on Population and Development consistent
with its own national laws and development prior-
ities, with full respect for the various religious and
•HRES 102 IH
ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people,
and in conformity with universally recognized inter-
national human rights;
(2) family planning service providers or referral
agents should not implement, or be subject to, nu-
merical quotas, goals, or targets, of total number of
births, number of family planning acceptors, or ac-
ceptors of a particular method of family planning;
(3) a family planning project or program should
not include payment of incentives, bribes, gratuities,
or other material reward to any person in exchange
for becoming a family planning acceptor or to pro-
gram 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) a family planning project or program should
not deny any right or benefit, including the right of
access to food or health care, as a consequence of
any person’s decision not to accept family planning
services;
(5) a family planning project or program should
provide family planning acceptors with full, com-
prehensible information on the health benefits and
risks of the method chosen, including those condi-
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and in all preparatory meetings for the special ses-
sion.
Æ