Surprise UN Decision Backed by US: Sex Education Must Include Parents

New Era World News and Global Intelligence

UNEXPECTED MOVEMENTS TOWARD CHRISTIANITY and traditional moral-family values are occurring throughout Poland, Hungary, Russia and other European nations. Surprisingly, the United Nations (UN) is beginning to feel similar effects as emerging third world nations are successfully demanding respect for their sovereign rights as independent states, states endowed with indigenous cultural patrimonies often antithetical to the dominance of liberalism that has guided UN global policies for decades.

Late last week (November 24), Saint Lucia, an independent Eastern Caribbean nation admitted to the UN in 1979 as its 152nd member, was the first nation to introduce an amendment signaling an unusual challenge and unexpected change to UN program for Comprehensive Sexual Education. The delegate from Saint Lucia boldly proposed to the UN General Assembly that parental guidance language be introduced into the section of UN global policies dealing with sex education of adolescents and youth ten years old and older.

The delegate noted that prevailing policies are “not adequate” because they disregard the primary role played by parents in the education and socialization of their own children:

“Parents and the family play an important role in guiding children.”

Parents are the first educators of their own children; however, she noted, current and proposed UN legislation diminishes parents to the status of equal partners with informal state agencies such as health care providers and public school educators.

The African delegates were most vocal: “Any program committing states or the UN system to providing sex education should include a caveat on ‘appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians.'”

The scene was epic; according to the Center for Family and Human Rights (CFHR):

“There were audible gasps from the floor of the UN conference room on Monday morning as the vote tally of the UN third committee appeared on the overhead screen. The vote was close. Parental guidance in sex education unexpectedly won the day, with the United States voting in favor.

Did you read the final clause: “United States voting in favor.”‘ These words represent an equally unexpected break from the international norm: US votes in favor of family rights. What is going on?  Is the Trump effect resounding in the UN; is the victory promised by Our Lady at Fatima continuing to pick up momentum?

It was not the United States which proposed the resolution, but they did support it. However unexpected and welcome that support might have been, the greatest support came from among the African nations:

“The Africans were adamant that any resolution committing states or the UN system to providing sex education should include a caveat on appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians.”

Liberal voices that have dominated the UN for decades were nonplussed:

“Visibly frustrated European and Latin American delegates called for a vote on these amendments, a request only made in UN negotiations when the stakes are high. More often than not these delegations are able to use the rules of procedure to their advantage. This time they were outmaneuvered by the Africans in three resolutions” (CFHR).

Representatives of the European Union disagreed as did delegates from Latin America who claimed the proposal was “highly problematic”, while those from Canada refused to accept it: “We cannot accept this.” The Norwegian delegate offered a more transparent evaluation, an evaluation that touches upon the core issue, the issue being put forward by the delegate from Saint Lucy and Africa.  According to this delegate from Norway, the amendment is unacceptable because:

“‘Children (ten years of age) should decide freely and autonomously’” on matters involving reproductive health and sexualuality.”

A more sober minded Egyptian delegate voiced the more traditional Christian, Islamic, and Judaic perspective:

“Our African culture respects parental rights,“ and, “Egypt rejects attempts of certain countries to impose their education system on others.”

Most notably,

“The United States and the Holy See emphasized the role of parents in sex education and rejected abortion as a component of sexual and reproductive health.“

Will the UN be able to enforce this new policy-program amendment as part of its comprehensive program for sexual education?  With the US and the Holy See supporting the amendment, it might have a chance. The greater question has to do with sovereign nations exercising their inalienable rights to chose for themselves what direction they prefer to advance. Is this not what liberals have been adamant about for centuries: free choice, self-determination, democracy, respect for the beliefs of others etcetera.  If they are really advocates of these values why are they so upset in the UN?