By Haider Rizvi

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 4, 2005 (IPS) - Women's groups celebrated their victory after a United States envoy declared that her government would not press for any changes in an international document that reaffirms what world leaders had pledged at a major summit on women's rights 10 years ago.

”We'll be withdrawing the amendment,” said Ellen Sauerbrey, the U.S. ambassador to the Commission on the Status of Women, referring to a widely derided proposal by the United States that member nations specifically omit the ”right to abortion”.

”We'll be joining consensus today on the Declaration. We look forward to working in a very constructive way,” she told reporters hours before the release of the U.N. Declaration reaffirming the Beijing Platform for Action agreed to in China in 1995.

Her comments were reportedly met with jeers and catcalls from the women activists -- altogether numbering about 6,000 -- who came from around the world for the high-level conference.

”We have stated clearly and on many occasions ... that we do not recognise abortion as a method of family planning, nor do we support abortion in our reproductive health assistance,” Sauerbrey said.

The delegate was also loudly booed when she described Washington's ”ABC” approach to HIV/AIDS prevention -- ”abstinence, be faithful, and correct and consistent condom use where appropriate” -- with an emphasis on ”the promotion of abstinence as the healthiest and most responsible choice for adolescents.”

Those watching the closed-door debate say the U.S. tried very hard to push for the anti-abortion amendment, but failed to win significant level of support from other member nations.

Before the U.S. announcement of withdrawal of its proposal, many U.S.-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had signed a petition and about 50 European NGOs sent a letter to Pres. George W. Bush asking him to ”respect women's rights and join the global consensus.”

The Beijing document, which covers a wide range of economic, social, political, cultural, and reproductive rights of women, was adopted a decade ago by 180 governments, including the United States. Regarding reproductive rights, it leaves the question of legalising abortion to national governments, a point that the U.S. envoy eventually recognised in her statement.

”We have heard from countries that our interpretation (of the Beijing document) is their interpretation,” said Sauerbrey, justifying the initial U.S. move to press for the amendment by saying ”it has accomplished its goals.”

”The United States feels firmly that different countries are in different places on this issue, and it's not an issue that should be interpreted at a global level,” she added.

Aware of the consequences of the U.S. intervention on the question of reproductive rights, Kyung-what Kang, the chairperson of the 45-member U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, had told reporters early this week that the draft declaration should not be seen as creating ”any new human rights.”

Many of those taking part in discussions and seminars at the review meeting welcomed the news about the U.S. decision to withdraw its amendment on abortion rights.

”We are thrilled,” said Adrienne Germain, president of the International Women's Health Coalition. ”As we now move into negotiations on specific issues, such as trafficking and economic advancement for women, we hope the U.S. will continue in a spirit of consensus building.”

Alexandria Arriaga of the London-based Amnesty International hailed it as ”a victory for women around the world.”

”Can't you see how happy we are?” she said. ”It's time to take the stock of progress and setbacks. There's a lot of work to be done.”

Though relatively satisfied with the change in the U.S. position on the draft declaration, some activists voiced their anger at the U.N. for wasting time by focusing the discussion on one issue, and thus sidetracking a number of pressing concerns like the evaluation of actions governments have taken to protect women's rights.

”In the first place, the U.S. must have respected the Beijing document,” Lottie Cunningham of the Nicaragua-based Centre for Justice and Human Rights told IPS. ”Our reality is much different from the U.S. Who are they to stop women from exercising their rights?”

Karin Ronge of Women for Women's Human Rights, a group based in Turkey, added with a tinge of anger: ”It should know that the world is changing. It should know that the right to abortion shouldn't be a male debate.”

”The U.S. is going in a fascist direction,” she said.

Activists charge that most governments have failed to turn the Beijing Platform into action. A worldwide NGO review entitled Beijing and Beyond concludes that since 1995 there has been ”little change, and even some backlash against the expansion of women's rights.”

”This is time for the U.N. to look for implementation,” said Taina Bien Aime of the Equality Now, a U.S.-based umbrella organisation that represents an array of women's rights groups through the world. ”We don't want any more years to be wasted".