MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the forced abortion scandal in China
3.7.2012 - (2012/2712(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Marietje Schaake, Sophia in 't Veld, Leonidas Donskis, Graham Watson, Robert Rochefort, Marielle de Sarnez, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Sonia Alfano, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Jelko Kacin, Sarah Ludford, Kristiina Ojuland, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen on behalf of the ALDE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0388/2012
The European Parliament,
- having regard to the reports submitted under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Optional Protocol thereto, and to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,
- having regard to the UN Convention on Rights of the Child,
- having regard to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, (1994)
- having regard to China's One Child Policy,
- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas on June 2 2012, Feng Jianmei underwent a forced late term abortion in Zhenping county, Shanxi province;
B. whereas under Chinese family planning legislation, as a non-agricultural resident and as mother of a 5 year old child, Feng was not entitled to have a second child;
C. whereas therefore, local authorities demanded that her family pay a 40,000 yuan deposit for a certificate allowing her to have second child;
D. whereas she was forced to sign a consent form to terminate her pregnancy because she could not pay the fine;
E. whereas the municipal government of Ankang conducted an investigation that concluded that officials in Zhenping county used "crude means" and "persuaded" her to abort the fetus; whereas the report stated that this decision violated her rights; whereas the city government of Ankang has announced punishments for local planning officials involved in this case involving sacking;
F. Whereas the one child policy and the consequent practice of sex- selective abortion has led to an estimated 40 million women ´missing´ compared to estimated demographic projections in China;
G. Whereas infanticide, illegal abortion and sex- selective ultrasounds are widespread in China, impacting female foetuses disproportionately, and creating an imbalance between the numbers of men and women, negatively impacting all of Chinese society;
1. Strongly underlines that in line with the International Conference on Population and Development Plan of Action (ICPD PoA) the aim of family planning programs must be to enable couples and individuals to make free, responsible and informed decisions about child-bearing and to make available a full range of safe, effective and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice,. Any form of coercion has no part to play;
2. Strongly condemns the decision to force Feng Jianmei to have an abortion; condemns also all forced abortions and sterilisations and reiterates the fundamental right of all women to access reproductive health care, including family planning and assisted childbirth;
3. Argues that there was no legal basis for the township government's demand that Feng and her family pay the 40,000 yuan deposit and welcomes the Ankang municipal government's decision to offer Feng's family compensation and to strongly sanction local officials involved in this case;
4. Strongly condemns the practice of sex-selective abortion and calls upon all UN Member States to abide by UN Inter-Agency Statement on “Preventing gender-biased sex selection” from 2011;
5. Strongly condemns the practice of forced abortions globally and especially in the context of the one-child policy;
6. Requests an independent inquiry under the auspices of the UN into the practices of infanticide, forced, illegal and unwanted abortions in China and any other infringements upon people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights;
7. Urges all UN Member States to increase legislative efforts to reduce son preference by ensuring women’s rights to inheritance, employment and pensions; access to credit and political participation, thereby enhancing the status and rights of women and girls in society;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, the Government and Parliament of the People's Republic of China.