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Controversial Issues in U.N. Draft Outcome Document
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| Children march for their rights near the United Nations building in New York on the first day of the conference |
NEW
YORK, May 9 (IslamOnline) - Top-ranking officials from 164 countries
are in New York for a three-day United Nations conference that started
Wednesday, May 8, on the plight of millions of children, threatened by
poverty, disease and war.
The
draft outcome document, entitled “A world fit for children”,
contains various topics that have raised controversy among different
participants in the U.N. child forum.
According
to the forum, a world fit for children is one where all children have
the best possible start in life. All children have access to a quality
basic education, including a free primary education that every child
must attend. All children and adolescents have the chance to make the
most of their potential in a safe and supportive environment.
The
Special Session is expected to produce a global agenda with a set of
goals and a plan of action devoted to ensuring three essential
outcomes: the best possible start in life for all children. A
good-quality basic education for all children. The opportunities for
all children, especially adolescents, for meaningful participation in
their communities.
The
following document shows the attitudes adopted by Islam, Christianity
and liberals regarding various topics, such as religion in people’s
lives, family, issues around sex education and reproductive health
care, HIV/AIDS, and child empowerment.
1-
Religion’s position in people’s lives
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
Minimizing
the role of religion, compared to the same role in the 1990
international document for child rights.
The
substitution of the word religion by the word
“spirituality”. |
The
importance of emphasizing the role of religion, as the term
religion includes all ruling legislations |
Mentions
the role of Christianity in people’s lives. |
Consider
religious fundamentalism to be the main reason behind the
oppression that some weak sectors in societies, including
children, are experiencing |
2-Family
|
Forum’s Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
The marginalization the role of the family and the attempt to separate the child from the notion of family. |
The role of the family is a crucial one and cannot be ignored or minimized. |
Cannot see an alternative for the role of the family in takingcare of the child. |
Sees that it is imperative to remove oppressed sectors in the society, such as women and children, from the concept of the family, which due to its regulations, hinder them from enjoying complete rights and freedom. |
3- Gender
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
The term ‘gender’ was used in the forum documents’ instead of the term ‘sex’, depending on the fact that the first means human kind, which includes man, woman, and homosexuals. |
Warns about the danger of such a call that includes ideas aiming at eliminating the biological differences between manhood and womanhood.The necessity of substituting the term ‘gender’ with the term ‘sex’ or ‘boys and girls’. |
Expressed their concern regarding such modern ideas considered them a threat to the Christian world. A papal report also criticized the term ‘gender’ describing it as unclear. |
The ones who have asked for that call, saying that people are born neutral, and society caused them injustice by categorizing them as males and females. |
The
fourth publication of the document, article 28, clause 11, stated that
programs, aim to minimize inequality based on gender, should be
developed and implemented. Such implementation should take place
regardless of whether the inequality is due to traditions, customs, or
social, culture, economic, and legislative regulations.
N.B.
The term ‘gender’ is mentioned in practically all the articles of
the document.
4-Sex Education
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
Sex education should be widespread in all societies, especially among adolescents,through education and media. |
Criticizes not connecting this call with the regulations of religion and morals. It seeks to limit it to a convenient age phase, under the condition that only religiously and ethically qualified people are allowed to teach it to children. This position also emphasizes the right of parents in choosing the kind of education appropriate to their children. |
Mentions the right of the parents in choosing the kind of education appropriate to their children. |
It is not necessary to tie sex education with the parents will.Calling upon all societal organizations, such as schools and media, to adopt a major role in such education. |
The
Fourth publication of the document, article 35, clause 15, stated the
necessity of providing suitable health education and information to
all children. Providing children with special needs and psychological
problems with appropriate help, including what concerns reproductive
health care for teenagers.
5- Rreproductive and sexual health care
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
The document uses the term ‘Sexual and reproductive health care’. Such a term is known to include what is known as“safe abortion”. |
Objects to such a term because it could be freely interpreted, in addition to including the freedom of abortion. |
Emphasizes that the church will not retract from its refusal to allow freedom of abortion. The Vatican has a very clear position concerning the idea of abortion.Stresses that rape is not an excuse for abortion. |
The ones who have asked for that call, saying that people are born neutral, and society caused them injustice by categorizing them as males and females. |
The
term ‘reproductive and sexual health care’ was repeated in the
fourth publications many times, the most important of which is article
34, clause G, which states the importance of providing reproductive
and sexual health care to all people at appropriate age as soon as
possible, not later than 15-20 years old.
6- HIV/AIDS
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
The AIDS issue occupies a central position in the document.The importance of ethical regulations as one of the ways of fighting the spread of AIDS was not mentioned.Only the spread of heath care was mentioned when dealing with fighting AIDS. |
Sees religious regulations regarding sexual relationshipsas the best way in fighting and preventing AIDS.Explicit call to return to notions of purity, ethics and morals.Criticized the marginalization of other health problems children suffer from all over the world. |
Explicit call to return to notions of purity, ethics and morals. |
Recently, there have been some calls to consider homosexuality amonghuman beings’ rights, regarding it inappropriate that the issue of treating AIDS clashes with the issue of homosexuality, as the latter is one of human rights’ issues. |
Fourth
publication – article 44 – clause 2:
Confirms
that by the year 2005, 90% of young people (males and females) between
the ages of 15-24 will be informed and educated about AIDS. By 2010,
this percentage will reach 95%, in addition to providing these young
people with all the necessary services to develop skills that will
enable them to lower the odds of getting AIDS. This will take place in
coordination between youth, parents, teachers and health experts.
7- Child empowerment
|
Forum’s
Documents |
Islamic
Position |
The
Vatican Position |
Absolute
Liberals Position |
|
The importance of enabling children to access the decision-making process in issues related to them on different levels (local, national and international) to guarantee that the decisions will be in their best interests. |
There is no doubt that children should participate in the decision-making process in issues related to them. Nevertheless, there is a clear difference between participating and deciding, as they see that a person cannot be in a position of decision-making unless he/she is an adult. |
The Vatican did not give much attention to this point, as its main concern was to emphasize other points, such as abortion. |
It is necessary that children be considered among the oppressed sectors that need empowerment, and that to reach their best interests, they have to reach the decision-making process in issues that concern them. |
The following is included in the document- article 31- first point:
“… we – the United Nations- will develop and implement programs aiming at children participation – including teenagers – in the decision-making process in family, schools, as well as on the national and regional”.
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