Latin America and the Caribbean are under siege by U.S. anti-life organizations and foundations. Countless attacks on life, family and even Hispanic culture are being perpetrated by them, with the objective of changing the pro-life/family values of entire countries. A quote from Mariana Schkolnik, a consultant with the social development division of the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, is a good example of the objectives in this anti-life agenda : "Reducing unwanted pregnancies requires cultural changes…this includes adjusting traditional gender roles, erasing the social stigma attached to abortion, and changing outdated family laws". ("Illegal Abortions Rampant in Latin America, by Jean Ross, "Women's News", November 28, 2004.)

For many years, because of the influence of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, abortion has been legal in Puerto Rico too, even though the Puerto Rican people did not vote to legalize it. Anti-life organizations in the U.S. are not satisfied with the death of countless babies in the U.S. and other countries of this hemisphere, and they are systematically exporting the same pro-death philosophy with the help of U.S. foundations. They are involved in aiding and abetting the legalization of abortion in Latin America, where for the most part abortion is illegal, by providing abundant funds, training and other types of assistance.

The purpose of this report - which is not exhaustive - is to expose the evil U.S. conglomerate which is promoting the culture of death in Hispanic countries. While it is impossible to do justice to this subject in just one report, a global view follows where it concerns the most prominent, active and powerful organizations working to legalize abortion in those countries.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation World-Wide Network

International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region - IPPF (www.ippf.org, English and Spanish ) . This is the main and the most powerful anti-life organization working in Hispanic countries. It has an affiliate in every one of those countries, including Communist Cuba. Even though IPPF affiliates in Latin America avoid having to come out publicly in favor of abortion, they are secretely following the same master plan as their parent organization. Incredible as it may seem, IPPF invokes the term "the right to life" when referring to its own activities and as the first of 12 "sexual and reproductive rights", claiming that it wants to save women from dying because of illegal abortions. ("Sexual & Reproductive Rights Within Everyone's Reach", pamphlet produced by IPPF for its Colombia affiliate, www.ippf.org/resource/srrights/index.htm.)

According to the "IPPF Financial Statement 2000" (http://www.all.org/stopp/rr0207.htm), in the year 2000, IPPF/WHR( International Planned Parenthood,Western Hemisphere Region), provided almost $59 million in grants to its affiliates and partner organizations in the western hemisphere. An additional $22 million was provided by IPPF through its regional and central offices for technical and support programs that enhanced the services of all IPPF member associations. The total 2000 income for IPPF/WHR was $73,102,000; 86% of which came from governments. The Gates Foundation provided over 2 million of those funds. It is obvious that IPPF affiliates in the Hispanic countries of this hemisphere receive abundant funds from their parent organization in order to promote the culture of death, which includes hedonistic sex education.

Both Planned Parenthood and its parent organization IPPF, export their terrible sex education programs to Hispanic countries, even over the Internet. In its website in Spanish (www.vidahumana.org) VHI has abundant information on IPPF (http://www.vidahumana.org/vidafam/ippf/ippf_index.html) and Planned Parenthood (http://www.vidahumana.org/vidafam/ippf/ppfa_index.html), which can be downloaded free and used to educate Hispanics on this evil organization. In the English section of its website (http://www.vidahumana.org/index.html), VHI also offers information on IPPF and Planned Parenthood's activities in Hispanic countries. (http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/ippf-pp_index.html) One of the main strategies that IPPF and the rest of the anti-life conglomerate are using now to promote the legalization of abortion in Latin America, is called "reproductive health". This is the reason why "reproductive health" legislation has been introduced and government health plans have adopted this same innocent sounding concept, which opens the door not only to abortifacients like the morning after pill, but also to the legalization of abortion. The pro-abortion conglomerate does not want people to know that its main objective is to legalize abortion, because, thanks be to God, in almost all Latin American countries abortion is illegal and there still is a strong culture of life. This is the reason why those individuals, organizations and foundations cover up this objective under the euphemism "reproductive health".

Inter- American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development - IAPG (http://iapg.org). "The IAPG was formed as a result of the Brasilia Declaration of the Western Hemisphere Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development held in Brazil in 1982, which at the time was the regional initiative of a worldwide parliamentary movement on population and development. Today, this movement has expanded into four regional networks of parliamentary groups on population and development that work together to raise awareness about the links between population and sustainable development and to advance the Cairo agenda." (http://www.iapg.org/).According to IAPG, "Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean continue to have legislative gaps and lack effective mechanisms necessary to monitor and safeguard sexual and reproductive health and rights", which is a current area of work for this organization that sprung from IPPF. On March 26, 2003 the IAPG and INPPARES (IPPF's Peru affiliate) collaborated with the organization of a public hearing to discuss Emergency Contraception (EC) among parliamentarians in Lima, Peru. The hearing was followed by a workshop for parliamentarians and journalists, comprised of two panels. The first panel discussed the reproductive health status of Peruvian women, the high rates of unwanted pregnancies and the impact of the lack of availability of EC on women's health. The second panel discussed modes of action and strategies to increase access and availability to EC. IAPG sent a "congratulatory letter" to the authorities of the Mexican Secretariat of Health, after it included emergency contraception in the Official Norm of Family Planning. (http://iapg.org/news/regional.htm)

IAPG's Bolivia branch includes 48 legislators, one third of the legislators in the national congress. ("Bolivia", IAPG website, www.iapg.org/countryinfo/bolivia.htm .) It is obvious that IAPG was involved in promoting the "reproductive health" law in that country. More information on IAPF at http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/parlimentarians-la.html and also at http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/parlimentarians.html.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America - PPFA (www.plannedparenthood.org, English and Spanish). Its Family Planning International Assistance Program (FPIA) was started in 1972 in order "to increase access to reproductive health services and strengthen support for reproductive rights in strategically selected countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean." For more information on its activities in Hispanic countries, consult http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/ippf-us.html.

International Medical Parliamentarians Organization - IMPO . It started when "a group of physicians serving in their national parliaments held its First Panamerican Conference in Bolivia in October 1996" and "issued a lengthy resolution regarding sexual and reproductive health". The IMPO members also pledged to support debates about the decriminalization of abortion as a strategy for addressing "the problem of illegal abortions."("Action Update", Initiatives in Reproductive Health Policy, January 1997.)

Other pro-abortion doctors organizations that are working to legalize abortion

The International Society of Abortion Doctors (www.isad.org, English and Spanish). The president/founder is infamous abortionist "Dr." Warren Hern, who runs the Boulder Abortion Clinic. (www.gynpages.com/boulder/services.html) The secretary general is Dr. Carlos Morin, an abortionist in Spain. The Morin Foundation organized an anti-life doctors conference in that country, where 50 abortions were done as a "hands on" exhibit. (Zenit news agency, October 20, 2003.)

Some Latin American doctors have joined their counterparts in the U.S., in the promotion of abortion. The Federacion Latinoamericana de Sociedades de Obstetricia y Ginecologia - FLASOG - Latin American Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology Associations (www.flasog.org/) at its 17th conference in Santa Cruz, Bolivia asked its members to take action to insure that women's sexual and reproductive rights are defended as fundamental human rights. (http://spanish.ipas.org/news/FLASOG_releasesSG.htm ) One of the talks by a doctor at said conference was titled " The right to interrupt a pregnancy in the cases allowed by a country's laws". (www.flasog.org/informa.html ) A Dissenters Network Working Throughout Latin America to "Divide and Conquer" Catholics for a Free Choice - CFFC (http://www.cath4choice.org, English, Spanish and Portuguese). This is the most dangerous and the most insidious anti-life organization working in Latin America, because its main objective is to try to destroy the very strong pro-life/family influence the Catholic Church still has. Since Catholics in those countries are a majority and the Catholic Church commands a great deal of respect, even where it concerns heads of state, CFFC is trying to sow division and confusion. It collaborates closely with the International We Are Church Movement, which is very active in Spain and has also branched out to Latin America. VHI has done a report on this world-wide movement of dissenters, which has also allied itself with gay activist organizations in Spain.

Hispanic Catholics are CFFC's main target. According to its publication "World View: Catholic Attitudes Towards Sexual Behavior and Reproductive Health", they are the majority where it concerns the Catholic population throughout the world.

From the December 2004 CFFC fundraising letter:

"We are present in the poor Catholic communities of Latin America where women especially need help in making decisions about abortion and family planning and in taking charge of their own lives. In Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, CFFC sister organizations work closely with the poor. We also work with legislators in those countries to expand reproductive health services. We are currently working to expand the reproductive health law in Bolivia. In Argentina, we succeeded in passing a bill that for the first time provides free family planning to low-income women. In Mexico, we have succeeded in discrediting the church's opposition to emergency contraception for women who have been raped."

CFFC printed an open letter to Uruguayan President Batlle in "La Republica" newspaper (April 10, 2004), signed by 26 other organizations in the U.S., Holland, Argentina, etc., asking him to support the "reproductive health" (abortion) bill, which HLI's affiliates in that country later defeated.

CFFC has received over 18 million dollars from U.S. anti-life foundations. (http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/antilife-grants.html) It has a staff of 20 and a budget of $3,000,000. (http://www.cath4choice.org/lowbandwidth/indexjobs.htm )

VHI exposed CFFC's activities in its website in Spanish (http://www.vidahumana.org/vidafam/anticath/disidentes_index.htm) and in the English section (http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/cffc_index.html ).

A Pro-Abortion Organization of Attorneys Providing Legal Assistance for the Legalization of Abortion and Other Evils

The Center for Reproductive Rights - CRR (www.crlp.org, English and Spanish). Austin Ruse in his Friday Fax (December 31, 2004 Volume 8, Number 2), calls this organization "the most active pro-abortion litigant in the United States and a major global pro-abortion force". He's absolutely right! CRR has filed supporting documents in a case against Costa Rica that is now pending before an International Human Rights Commission. The outcome of the case could have repercussions on pro-life legislation throughout the Americas. CRR is trying to overturn Costa Rica's ban on in-vitro fertilization, a victory which HLI's affiliate in that country was instrumental in winning. More information on this at http://www.crlp.org/pr_04_1210costarica.html.

"The Center for Reproductive Rights' International Legal Program and its partner organizations in the region have helped pioneer the use of international litigation as a strategy to ensure that national legislation and policies better reflect the international community's recognition of reproductive rights". (http://www.reproductiverights.org/pub_art_litigation_la.html )

CRR collaborated with the University of Los Andes School of Law in Bogota, Colombia in a book titled "Bodies on Trial", which was published in 2001 and which is "the first comparative study of sexual and reproductive rights jurisprudence in Latin America."

It "describes the political, legal and judicial systems and examines existing laws and judicial decisions of the high courts of five countries : Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru." More information at http://www.crlp.org/pdf/bo_bodiesontrial_part1.pdf .

A Powerful World-Wide Network for the Promotion and Acceptance of Early Abortion

The International Consortium for Emergency Contraception (www.cecinfo.org, English, Spanish and Portuguese) . The Consortium is a network of anti-life organizations, founded with the sole objective of promoting the abortifacient so-called morning after pill (emergency contraception - EC), all over the world. A number of anti-life organizations make up the Consortium: IPPF, Catholics for a Free Choice, IPAS (International Projects Assistance Services, which has a Latin America Division), Marie Stopes International (the British sister of IPPF, which also has a Latin America Division), Population Council, Family Health International, among many others. For a list of members, visit www.cecinfo.org/html/ab-members.htm.

According to "Expanding Global Access to Emergency Contraception: A Collaborative Approach to Meeting Women's Needs" (http://www.cecinfo.org/files/Expaning-Global-Access-to%20EC.rtf ), "Conservative religious groups pose legal and political obstacles that continue to require time and money to counter." The Consortium successfully worked with Mexico's Ministry of Health and anti-life feminists groups, to introduce EC in that country. (http://www.cecinfo.org/html/exp-mexico.htm) Presently, the National Right to Life Committee of Mexico is suing the government, in an effort to make it illegal.

The Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception - LACEC (http://www.cecinfo.org/html/regional-consortia-la.htm) , "is…a multinational network of three country consortia, as well as 43 non-governmental, governmental, public and private organizations" which includes "representatives from academic and research institutions, as well as the media." "Among the Consortium's principle objectives are : to advocate for the inclusion of EC in the reproductive health, family planning and sexual violence norms of the ministries of health in each Latin American country; to promote information about and access to EC for all socioeconomic levels of the population; and to support EC-specific social marketing initiatives wherever possible in the region." For a list of members, consult www.piwh.org/ecconference.html. The Pacific Institute for Women's Health (www.piwh.org/) is the "coordinating agency".

LACEC had its first international conference in Ecuador, October of 2002, with participants from 19 countries, including A.I.D. agencies, IPPF, IPAS Brazil, Catholics for a Free Choice and other anti-life organizations. (www.clae.info/archivo/quito2002.PONTES.HTM .) The conference provided training for the promotion of EC. ("Latin American Consortium : Builds Access to Emergency Contraception", www.piwh.org/EC_latinamerica.html .) "IPPF/WHR is one of the founding members" of LACEC. (www.ippfwhr.org/programs/program_ec_e.asp.) The list of the other members of LACEC can be found at http://www.piwh.org/pdfs/Boletin_CLAE_Abril_2003.pdf. During the Ecuador conference, IPPF gave a very complete report on its activities to promote EC throughout Latin America. ("Situacion de la AE en America Latina", Angela Heimburger, IPPF/RHO, www.clae.info/archivo/quito2002/PONTES.HTM , click on "Situación de la AE en América Latina".)

On October 13-17, 2003, the first "Youth Encounter" of the Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception took place in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. It was titled "Central American and Caribbean Encounter of Youth for Sexual and Reproductive Rights". (http://www.clae.info/archivo/encjuveniles/encjuveniles.html.)

Investigations are being conducted in Chile by ICMER (Chilean Institute for Reproductive Medicine, main EC promoter), where it concerns the possible use of RU 486 (mifeprex or mifepristone), perhaps for EC. ICMER, which is a member of the Consortium and the main promoter of EC in Latin America, received 2.8 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its "investigations". ("Memoria Annual, Año 2001", ICMER, www.icmer.org, downloaded 12/16/03.) The Population Council claims that "Mifepristone shows promise as a treatment for a number of serious diseases and conditions". (www.popcouncil.org/mifeprex/illness.html.) Is the Council opening the door for the use of RU 486 in Latin America ?

U.S. Pro-Abortion Feminists Providing Training and Funds to their Counterparts in Latin America

The International Women's Health Coalition - IWHC (www.iwhc.org, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese) . According to its website IWHC "provides professional assistance and financial support, $1.5-2.0 million annually, to local organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America". (http://www.iwhc.org/who/index.cfm) Founded in 1980, it is active in those countries, in order "to insure sexual and reproductive rights". (www.iwhc.org) In its document "Expanding Access to Safe Abortion : Strategies for Action (available also in French and Spanish), IWHC describes strategies that are being used across a wide range of countries (including Latin America), to implement abortion services. (www.iwhc.org/resources/expandingaccess.cfm?language+1 ) IWHC "supports the provision of comprehensive sexuality education and health services", "access to contraceptive services and safe abortion" and "protection of sexual rights". In Brazil, the Rede Feminista de Saúde, the National Feminist Health Network, supported by IWHC since its inception in 1991, unites over 180 organizations across the country. The Network "has been pivotal to developing and implementing Brazil's exceptional national women's health policy, improving access to contraceptive choices and legal abortion". (http://www.iwhc.org/who/index.cfm.) IWHC helps Latin American feminists with their yearly Regional Campaign for the Decriminalization of Abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean, better known as the September 28th campaign to legalize abortion. (http://www.iwhc.org/resources/092803.cfm ) The battle cry of the pro-abortion feminist movement in Latin America is "Sex education to prevent, contraceptives not to abort and legal abortion not to die." (www.cladem.com/espanol/novedades/uyvisperas.asp.)

The September 28th campaign is active in 21 countries. It links over a hundred organizations and seven regional networks, many of them longtime colleagues of IWHC. The philosophy of the campaign is forcefully articulated in its Letter from Guanabara, endorsed by representatives of 27 countries at its regional meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 2001, and signed by 420 additional participants at the IX International Woman's Health Meeting in Toronto in 2002. (http://www.iwhc.org/resources/092803.cfm )

Women's Environment & Development Organization - WEDO (www.wedo.org ) "WEDO is an international advocacy network that seeks to increase the power of women worldwide as policymakers in governance and in policymaking institutions, forums and processes, at all levels, to achieve economic and social justice, a peaceful and healthy planet and human rights for all". (http://www.wedo.org/about/about.htm) It was established in 1990 by former U.S. Congresswoman Bella Abzug (1920-1998) and veteran feminist activist and journalist, Mim Kelber. (http://www.wedo.org/about/about.htm ) "WEDO was a leading organizer for women in the run-up to the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), organizing the World Women's Congress for a Healthy Planet in Miami, Florida, which brought together more than 1,500 women from 83 countries to plan a joint strategy. The Congress formulated and adopted Women's Action Agenda 21, a blueprint for a healthy and peaceful planet in the 21st century that expressed WEDO's values and vision and served as the basis for introducing sections on gender equality in the official UNCED final documents-Agenda 21 and The Rio Declaration". (http://www.wedo.org/about/about.htm) Anti-Life Activities of a Pro-Life Administration

The Agency for International Development - U.S.A.I.D. One of the effects of the morning after pill is to keep human beings in the first stages of their development, from implanting in their mother's womb; which is their first home. This has been acknowledged even by organizations that promote EC, including the Consortium for Emergency Contraception. ( www.cecinfo.org/files/, click on ICEC-Mechanism of Action Policy Statement 2003.pdf.) In spite of the pro-life Bush administration, A.I.D. is promoting early abortions, by funding the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception. ("Expanding Global Access to Emergency Contraception: A Collaborative Approach to Meeting Women's Needs", Section One, at www.cecinfo.org/files, click on Expaning-Global-Access-toEC.rtf.)

The Catalyst Consortium (www.rhcatalyst.org) is "a global reproductive health activity initiated in September 2000" ( a month before the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception was founded), by the Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Bureau for Global Health" of U.S.A.I.D. The Catalyst Consortium "establishes technical collaboration among U.S.A.I.D. Missions, U.S.A.I.D. Cooperating Agencies, U.S. foundations and other donors to help ensure the quality and sustainability of family planning and reproductive health programs". (http://www.rhcatalyst.org/site/PageServer) It is "a partnership of five organizations", among them Pathfinder International and PROFAMILIA, IPPF Colombia affiliate, which while receiving help from the Consortium, successfully introduced EC in that country. Between 1972 and 2003, A.I.D. gave PROFAMILIA, $40.8 million for its "family planning services", which include EC. (http://www.rhcatalyst.org/site/DocServer/HSR-Final-July31.pdf?docID=281)

At the first conference of the Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception in Ecuador (2002), Vicki Baird (Meridian Group, The Catalyst Consortium), stated that one of the priorities of The Catalyst is to "increase access to emergency contraception pills". ("Producto dedicado y estrategias de mercadeo: Alianzas entre los sectores publico y privado para promover la PAE", http://www.clae.info/archivo/quito2002/PONENCIAS/Baird,%20Vicki.%20Productos%20Dedicados%20y%20Estrategias%20de%20Mercadeo.ppt) The Catalyst has offices in Bolivia (where a "reproductive health bill was introduced but defeated by HLI's affiliate) and in Peru (where there is a battle going on against EC). INPARES, IPPF affiliate in Peru, received help from The Catalyst (www.globalhealth.org/reports/report.php3?id=99), which is also active in 15 other countries. (www.rhcatalyst.org/site/PageServer.)

Networks Pressuring Latin American nations to adopt the UN Cairo Programme of Action, in Addition to the United Nations' Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA)

A Mother's Promise (http://www.amotherspromise.org/home.asp). A coalition campaign led by Planned Parenthood Federation of America and co-sponsored (among many others), by Advocates for Youth (active in Latin America promoting hedonistic sex education, has a website in English and Spanish), Alan Guttmacher Institute (influencing sex education programs in Latin America), Catholics for a Free Choice, Center for Reproductive Rights, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, International Women's Health Coalition, IPAS, National Audubon Society, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, etc. The list of their co-sponsors is at http://www.amotherspromise.org/about.asp. "45885 activists have already signed the petition to commemorate the Tenth Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development." (http://www.amotherspromise.org/home.asp) The petition is online at http://www.amotherspromise.org/sign_petition.asp.

Members of the coalition A Mother's Promise the World Must Keep, "a campaign to reaffirm the 1994 agreement (often called the Cairo Consensus)", attended a meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico July 2004 and claimed "victory" where it concerns their anti-life goals. (http://www.iwhc.org/global/un/icpdat10/eclacvictory.cfm) Countdown 2015 ( http://www.countdown2015.org/contacts.htm) . "Above all, Countdown 2015 aims to revitalize international efforts towards: The legal and advocacy issues around abortion - where abortion fits in the context of full reproductive health and rights" and furthering women's rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights". (http://www.countdown2015.org/ContentController.aspx?ID=545) It is "A global advocacy initiative coordinated by Family Care International, IPPF and Population Action International in collaboration with the wider sexual and reproductive health community". (http://www.countdown2015.org/ContentController.aspx?ID=541 ) The Latin American & Caribbean Women's Health Network (LACWHN); Latin American & Caribbean Youth Network for Sexual & Reproductive Rights (REDLAC) and the International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC) are on the steering committee. (http://www.countdown2015.org/ContentController.aspx?ID=541 )

A gathering took place in London for a conference which "brought together more than 600 global leaders from 100 countries to map an action agenda for the next decade in the fields of population and development -- and to assess the damage done by the withdrawal of U.S. support that has occurred since the election of George W. Bush" ("In London, an RNC alternative", by Rory O'Connor, http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/affalert248.shtml) . Two other meetings were scheduled, one in New York (October 20, 2004 ) and the other in Rio de Janeiro Nov/Dec 2004. Its organizers promised that the symposia would "highlight the indisputable need to fulfill the ICPD and ICPD+5 goals and targets in order to realize the Millennium Development Goals" and "also aim to ensure that civil society organizations working on Sexual and Reproductive Health are mobilized around the goals, and to engage governments of the region, key UN agencies and donors on this subject… partner organizations involved in co-convening or collaboration on the meetings include LACWHN (Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network); Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CFFC's Latin America partner); CAFRA (Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action); Family Care International (FCI); Redlac (Red Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Jóvenes por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos); Population Action International (PAI); the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development; International Women's Health Coalition; Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University; the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and a group of Brazilian networks and NGOs". (http://www.countdown2015.org/act_regnat.htm) International Sexual and Reproductive Rights Coalition -ISRRC (Information obtained from http://www.reproductiverights.org/ww_adv_child_neg.html). A group of international and regional NGOs which have constituencies in all regions of the world. The ISRRC includes the following organizations:

Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD)
Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC)
Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA)
Center for Reproductive Rights
Family Care International (FCI)
Ipas
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC)
Latin American and Caribbean Youth Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Network of Asia-Pacific Youth (NAPY)
Youth Coalition for ICPD

The set of 7 factsheets developed by the International Sexual and Reproductive Rights Coalition for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children (New York, 2002), compile basic information, key actions, and international commitments on human rights, families, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, unsafe abortion, sexuality education, and trafficking as each topic relates to young people (18 pages total). It can be found at http://www.iwhc.org/resources/isrrcfactsheets.cfm.

Efforts to Overturn the Mexico City Policy, Which Forbids Awarding U.S. Govt. Grants to Organizations for the Promotion or Practice of Abortion in Third World Countries

The Global Gag Rule Impact Project (http://64.224.182.238/globalgagrule/about.htm) . A collaborative research effort led by Population Action International in partnership with Ipas and Planned Parenthood Federation of America and with assistance in gathering the evidence of impact in the field from EngenderHealth and Pathfinder International. From their website : "Family planning opponents in the U.S. Congress have long sought to place burdensome restrictions on U.S. population assistance. One such restriction is the Mexico City Policy, known to its opponents as the Global Gag Rule, which has proven detrimental to America's foreign policy objectives, to family planning programs in developing countries, and to women's health". (http://www.populationaction.org/resources/factsheets/factsheet_5.htm) A Provider of Abortion Instruments Providing Training for Abortion Services and Trying to Increase Sales International Projects Assistance Services - IPAS (http://ipas.org, English, Spanish and Portuguese ). IPAS manufactures manual vacuum aspirators and promotes the legalization of abortion. It offers "post-abortive care" through the use of the MVA (manual vacuum aspirator) for "menstrual regulation", which is the code name for abortion. Ipas has worked in Bolivia since 1991. From the IPAS website at http://www.ipas.org/english/where_ipas_works/latin_america_and_caribbean/bolivia/ : "In 1999, the Ministry of Health published a resolution integrating PAC (post-abortion care) with manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) into emergency obstetric services. As a result, Bolivia is the only country in the Latin American region that has included PAC as part of its national health plan, providing it free of charge to all women. The Bolivian Ministry of Health and Social Services currently is working to implement PAC with MVA for the treatment of incomplete abortion on a national scale. To date, Ipas Bolivia has worked with the Ministry of Health to train providers from 76 primary, secondary and tertiary public-health facilities.MVA is being promoted in Bolivia".

IPAS "trained approximately 1,300 public and private providers in PAC with MVA, reached a formal agreement with the Executive Committee of Bolivian Universities to promote the inclusion of PAC with MVA into the curricula of member universities, a key step to ensuring the long-term integration of the program into Bolivian medical-education programs; signed related agreements with 60 percent of the country's public universities to include PAC with MVA in in their curricula; to date, 112 professors at medical and nursing schools have been trained". IPAS provided technical assistance to Paraguay's Ministry of Health to establish a similar national PAC program. (http://www.ipas.org/english/where_ipas_works/latin_america_and_caribbean/bolivia/key_accomplishments.asp ) For more information on IPAS's other activities in Latin America visit http://www.ipas.org/english/where_ipas_works/default.asp.

American Foundations : The Other Culprits

Most of the funding for the anti-life attacks by the aforementioned organizations, is provided by U.S. foundations. For a global view of their contribution to anti-life activities in Latin America, be sure to read : "American Foundations : Funding Pro-Abortion Extremists in Latin America" (at http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/us-foundations-la.html .)"How American Foundations and Organizations Target Hispanic Youth" (at http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/us-foundations.html .) "Report on Grants for Anti-Catholic, Anti-Life Activities by American Foundations". (http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/antilife-grants.html .) These and other articles on anti-life attacks on Hispanic countries, are in VHI's English language website at http://www.vidahumana.org/english/family/death-culture_index.html.

In view of the organizational and financial resources of the forces of the "culture of death", the pro-life movement in the Hispanic countries of this hemisphere is battling as David did against Goliath. However, we must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed, by recalling that God was with David. God tells us in His Sacred Word, the Bible, that we should "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Cor.5:7) and His Kingdom will prevail; "Not by an army, not by might", but by His Holy Spirit. (Zec. 4:6)

Human Life International and its affiliates are at the forefront of the "culture of life", battling these evil forces throughout the world. Please pray for them.

Note: This report was written January 2005 by Mrs. Magaly Llaguno, Executive Director of Vida Humana Internacional, Human Life International's Hispanic Division in Miami. Information on Human Life International's affiliates in Latin America, The Caribbean and Spain is available at : http://www.vidahumana.org/english/programs/affiliates_index.html. Please help Human Life International provide the help that the pro-life movement in Hispanic countries needs, by sending a generous donation. You can contact :