Romania Congratulates UNFPA Director for Key Role in Terminating Pregnancies
Photo of UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Natalia Kanem, Credit & Copyright: UN Women/Ryan Brown
June 5
The culture of death- applauded at the UN? Diplomats are now referring to the death of unborn children as a positive health policy outcome…
Romania Congratulates UNFPA for Key Role in Terminating Pregnancies
With the tenure of UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem drawing to a close, Romania took the floor at a recent UN meeting to congratulate Ms. Kanem for the legacy she left behind at UNFPA, most notably her role in ending pregnancies around the world.
Below is the actual quote 👇
This only goes to show just how desensitized the multilateral space has become to the tragedy of abortion. No longer recognizing it as a deeply painful experience that kills an innocent life and wounds a mother, but as something to be celebrated in the name of women’s empowerment and human rights.
If we are truly for women, what are we to say about the rights of the millions of little girls in the womb, whose opportunity to grow, develop, learn, and live life has been forever taken away from them? What about the mothers who resorted to abortion due to a lack of support and pressure or even threats from their partners and came to regret it, forever mourning their loss?
Many progressive countries cite the Beijing Conference on Population and Development as a hallmark moment, marking a shift for women’s empowerment at international fora, but the outcome document from Beijing references the consensus at the Cairo Conference, where member states agreed that abortion should not be promoted as a family planning method.
Paragraph 8.25 of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
Why? Countries recognized that abortion is a tragedy and that a healthy vision of human rights, sustainable development, and health policy cannot place a harmful practice like abortion at its center, yet here we are today, in 2025, applauding the termination of human lives…all in the name of societal progress.
Teodora Paul, President of Students for Life Romania, shared her criticism of Romania’s statement:
In her social media post, Paul continues,
“There is a large number of women who have had an abortion and regret it. Abortion is not a success. It is not a reason for congratulations.
It is a drama, a rupture, a suffering that affects real lives – both of unborn children and of mothers who have gone through this painful experience, often due to a lack of support.
To "congratulate" someone for the number of terminated pregnancies means to distort the meaning of foreign policy, public health, and even human dignity. When Romania transmits such messages in international forums, it sends a worrying signal to the world: that human life can be relativized, and pain – applauded.
I believe in a different perspective:
Romania needs policies that support pregnant women, protect the unborn child, and promote human dignity, not applause for the destruction of life.
Romania should promote policies that support life, not normalize its loss. Invest in concrete support for women, not in sterile ideologies. Be the voice of those who cannot speak: mothers in pregnancy crisis, unborn children, vulnerable families.”
Next UN GA President at a Glance
Photo of Annalena Baerbock, former foreign minister of Germany
The UN assembly elects Germany’s ex foreign minister as next president “The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Germany’s former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock to be the next head of the 193-member world body in a secret-ballot vote demanded by Russia. Baerbock got 167 votes, almost double the 88 votes needed to win, while high-ranking German diplomat Helga Schmid received 7 votes as a write-in and 14 countries abstained.” READ
For pro-lifers, this is not a positive development. The newly elected UN General Assembly President has a record of promoting abortion and gender ideology during her time as Foreign Minister.
“I also have to admit that, on some issues, you ask yourself, and I’m sure many people, including Colombian women, ask themselves this: how long can we keep on discussing equal rights in the 21st century? For me, one example is the right to abortion for women all around the world. Until last year, gynaecologists in Germany weren’t allowed to state on their websites that they perform abortions. Until recently, when we finally changed that as the new German Government.”
- Annalena Baerbock
“It’s our body, it’s our choice. And we will fight together around the world until this applies to each and every woman.”
- Annalena Baerbock
Ms. Baerbock is also credited with leading the launch of Germany's feminist foreign policy agenda. In 2023, Baerbock designed a set of guidelines advocating for abortion rights, sexuality education, diplomatic support for Pride events, funding for queer cultural initiatives, among other projects.
CPAC in Hungary
Conservative leaders met in Budapest last week for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). The conference welcomed a wide range of MAGA sympathizers, from European Prime Ministers to opposition party leaders, journalists, and social media influencers. Keynote speakers often pointed to a common foe- the European Commission, and decried the “death of democracy” in Europe.
Below are some several quotes from Viktor Orbán, R. Fico Prime Minister of Slovakia, and Eva Vlaadinber
Viktor Orbán:
“The liberal plan sees the old, cultural, Christian Europe as obsolete. They want to move beyond it. For decades, they have been working to fabricate a new identity to replace Christianity and the nation.”
“We want a Christian culture, schools standing on a national basis, and streets and neighbourhoods without fear. We want to be proud of our nations.”
“[Trump] has abolished gender regulations. He has banished critical race theory. He has banned woke ideology from the military [...] What a difference a year has made: a real civilizational turnaround![...] European and American patriots need each other... After America, we Europeans will regain our dreams, and take Brussels.”
R. Fico Prime Minister of Slovakia:
“Europe needs diversity of opinion and respect for it [...] The politics of only one single correct political opinion is devastating us and has serious practical consequences [...] If you go against the current, you are excluded and punished.”
Eva Vlaardingerbroek:
“Where America is on a path to cultural revival, order, and economic prosperity, Europe is heading for total and utter destruction [...] The legal system steps in and thwarts all true right-wing efforts, by deeming the policies to be in violation of European law and human rights [...]”
“Our legal system is also targeting individuals at an exceptionally fast rate [...] Democracy is dead. Stone cold. Dead [...] The illusion of democracy is very much kept alive“
“Our regime uses pretty words to hide their intentions but they pervert and invert our definitions all the time. They say that to maintain peace in Europe we need to go to war with Russia…to protect democracy we need to ban right-wing parties…to safeguard freedom of speech they need to censor disinformation.”
Resources & Reads
Trump Admin Attacks China and UN Population Control Agency “The Trump administration announced it would defund the UN population agency this week for working with the population control bureaucracy of the Chinese Communist Party and blasted it for promoting gender ideology and DEI.” READ
Turkey Vows Government-Wide Fight Against Gender Ideology “In line with President Erdoğan’s priorities, the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services has demanded its regional offices and other executive agencies adopt a unified stance against “gender”, “gender identity,” “sexual orientation,” and “LGBT.” The Ministry said these terminologies contradict Turkey’s moral values and undermine family structures.” READ
Bangladesh accused of coercing Rohingya women to use contraceptives “It is reported that Rohingya women, Muslim refugees from genocide in Myanmar, are being coerced by Bangladeshi officials to use contraceptives. The coercion is reported to be taking place in Cox’s Bazar, a port city in southeastern Bangladesh.” READ
-
If there is a story you would want us to consider for the next UN Weekly newsletter, fill out the form below 👇
