We are pleased to share the great news that Colombia has become the most recent nation to join the Geneva Consensus Declaration (GCD)! With the addition of Colombia, the GCD coalition now includes 37 member states.
Click here to thank the Colombian President, Ivan Duque, for his courageous commitment to protect life and family by joining the Geneva Consensus Declaration and thus aligning with the 36 member states of the GCD!
As we reported previously, the GCD, among other things, affirms that there is no international right to abortion. Signing on to the GCD is one of the best ways for countries to support one another in standing for life and family.
Colombia’s support for the GCD was announced by Colombian Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Alejandro Ordóñez, on May 13 at an official meeting of the OAS. This is not the first time Ambassador Ordóñez has bravely spoken out in favor of life. In 2009, then as the Attorney General of Colombia, Ordóñez challenged the Constitutional court to overturn a ruling that would require Colombian schoolchildren to be taught that abortion is a right.
Colombia’s decision to join the GCD comes on the heels of a narrow 5-4 ruling in February by Colombia’s highest court which decriminalized abortion for any reason up until 24 weeks of gestation. A previous ruling in 2006 had allowed abortion only in cases of rape, a life-threatening fetal abnormality, or danger to the health of the woman.
Fortunately, Colombian president, Ivan Duque, condemned the ruling saying that five judges “cannot impose on the nation something as heinous as allowing life to be interrupted up to six months” of pregnancy.”
Ambassador Ordóñez further condemned the decision adding, “A State that decides to eliminate a portion of human beings, from the first day or until the 24th week, becomes genocidal and totalitarian. It hurts to see how society is subjugated by the culture of death. This is an act of violence with the appearance of legality.”
By joining the Geneva Consensus Declaration, President Duque has indicated that Colombia stands for the preservation of life and human dignity for all Colombians and promoting women’s optimal health. We are grateful to President Ivan Duque and Ambassador Ordóñez for putting politics aside and standing strong for their nation’s children and families.
With this important announcement, we also congratulate our friend and colleague, Valerie Huber, and are grateful for the organization, the Institute for Women’s Health (IWH). It is due to the hard work and perseverance of IWH that Colombia has joined this important Coalition following Guatemala and Russia which joined last year.
Family Watch agrees with Huber that the GCD coalition “is a rare haven for nations like Colombia that want to improve the health of women and girls at all life stages and affirm their commitment to the family.”
Again, please join us in thanking President Ivan Duque for his courageous commitment to the family by clicking here.
Let’s show the nation of Colombia that we support them as they commit to stand for optimal health for all women and girls at all stages of life including in the womb.
Please take all three of the following action steps:
1. Sign the thank you letter to President Duque.
2. Forward this email to your family and friends and encourage them to thank Colombia too.
3. Encourage your government to sign the GCD as well if they have not. IWC has all the information your country needs to join here.
