Interim Staff

At Amnesty International’s International Council Meeting, a majority of the 400 delegates from 75 countries, endorsed a contentious motion that commits the human rights organization to abortion advocacy. AI has come under fire from pro-life and religious groups over the past year during country-level deliberations on the issue. AI said in an August 17 press release that it was committing “itself to strengthening the organization’s work on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies,” including support for the decriminalization of abortion.

AI said it wants “to ensure women have access to health care when complications arise from abortion and defend women’s access to abortion … when their health or human rights are in danger.” Jim Hughes, vice-president of the International Right to Life Federation, told The Interim he is dismayed and observed that a “real human rights organization would protect the rights of the unborn child.”