"What do celibate men know about women?" — Mary Robinson
In the past day, UN delegates have released the final draft of the Rio+20 outcome document. One of the major concerns coming from the Women’s Major Group camp is the absence of any reference to reproductive rights and the efforts by the Holy See to not only hamper any advancement for these rights, but to roll back on advancements of sexual and reproductive health protections made in previous agreements.
The following text is a translation of an article appearing in the Brazilian newspaper O Globo that features an interview with former Irish President Mary Robinson on this issue.
“What do celibate men know about women?” says Mary Robinson.
Former President of Ireland (1990-1997) and former Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations (1997-2002), Mary Robinson is one of the most active voices in the international conferences in regard to sexual and reproductive health of women. At Rio+20, it could not be otherwise. The current member of The Elders (a group that includes former world leaders) said she is concerned about the pressure from the Vatican to remove any reference to sex, sexuality and family planning in general from the final conference outcome document. “What do celibate men know about the life and the decisions of poor women?” she asked in an exclusive interview with O Globo.
Roberta Jansen: What is the challenge in Rio+20 with respect to reproductive health.
MARY ROBINSON: What worries us in relation to the Rio +20 is that there be a retrograde step in relation to texts adopted in Cairo and here, for the past 20 years, when texts in an international agreement are weaker, it has a political significance. Instead of getting weaker, it has to become much stronger. We know that there are 250 million women and children who want access to contraceptives, who want to know more about reproductive health, who want to better understand their bodies. This is one of the most important human rights. And this conference can weaken or strengthen this right.
JANSEN: How is sexual and reproductive health important for sustainable development?
ROBINSON: Women are essential to development. At least that message is clean and is in the text. We have many examples, such as women farmers who, with access to land rights and more training in the use of nutritional information, get a much higher production with positive effects. Hundreds of thousands of people can be lifted out of poverty and food insecurity, and part of that has to do with reproductive health. Today, women in Somalia have six, seven, eight children in the hope that one or two survive. No woman in the 21st century should have to go through that.
JANSEN: There is an intense debate over whether reproductive and sexual health should enter the document. There are countries that are opposed. This subject is still controversial?
ROBINSON: I think that is disturbing and absurd. I say absurd because it is so detached from the reality of women’s lives and also the other half already accepted by all. Empowering women is essential for the development of all countries and all the goals of sustainable development. There must be some logic in addressing the issues. I fear there are religious influences of various kinds, uninformed of the reality of women’s lives.
JANSEN: The Vatican seems to be the biggest opponent of the policies of sexual and reproductive health. All references to sex, sexuality and family planning in the document are rejected by the Holy See. As a lady who is Catholic, how do you see the Catholic Church’s position?
ROBINSON: I find it very sad. In the early ‘70s, in Ireland I dealt with these issues and was criticized by the Catholic Church. But I know many of my friends are Christians, many are catholic, and they know that this is an issue that needs to continue to be addressed. It saddens me that we have this problem in the twenty-first century. It saddens me that there is a political war of power and the church is a part of it. What do celibate men know about the lives, health and decisions of poor women?
JANSEN: What are the risks involved, in your opinion, if the document is to ignore female reproductive and sexual health?
ROBINSON: I hope this does not happen because it would be irresponsible. We are talking about sustainable development. We have an Earth that is under stress. And we know there are 250 million women and girls who want to be responsible and have the opportunity to raise their children and live better. When I talk to the leaders of developing countries, they have serious problems from the stress on their populations. And they all share the same idea: We need, in our own terms, to have policies on family planning and reproductive health, but we need support, especially from international instruments such as this, the Rio+20.
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