The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011 issued by the United States track the records of countries on key human rights issues including upholding the rule of law; respecting freedoms of religion, speech, association and assembly; rejecting violence; protecting the rights of women and minorities and peaceful transfer of power following democratic elections. The reports are compiled by a country team that collects information from national and international human rights organizations, other governments, multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations.

The 2011 reports include for the first time a category of "Reproductive Rights" under the general listing for Women. The issues contained under Reproductive Rights are related to information on, use of, and availability of contraception and sterilization. The availability of skilled birth attendants and delivery of postpartum care is also noted. The reports do not yet reference abortion laws or access to abortion despite Secretary of State Clinton's proclamations that abortion is a "reproductive right" and a human right.

Abortion is mentioned in the report on Colombia but only in the context of forced abortion: "Approximately 1 percent of those interviewed in the Oxfam study reported having been forced to have an abortion. Illegal armed groups forced women to have abortions. For example, female combatants who demobilized from the FARC reported that women in the FARC were repeatedly forced to have abortions, with most experiencing between one and seven abortions."

Chile's report includes criticism on restricted access to the morning after pill: "However, despite the fact that emergency contraception is legal and that the law provides for the free distribution of emergency contraception in the public health system, many hospitals and clinics continued to refuse to prescribe."

The entry for Poland under Reproductive Rights does not mention Poland's pro-life laws but includes this statement critical of religious values from an NGO: "While there were no restrictions on the right to obtain contraceptives, religious, social, and economic factors limited their use, according to a local NGO, the Federation for Women and Family Planning. Prescription contraceptives were not included on the government list of subsidized medicines, which made them cost-prohibitive relative to average household income. The law does not permit voluntary sterilization."

In regards to Russia, the report makes no mention of efforts to limit abortion but was critical of Russia's refusal to allow international population control organizations to operate in the country, "While there are no legal restrictions on access to contraceptives, international family planning organizations were unable to operate in the face of opposition from the government and from the Russian Orthodox Church, making access to family planning limited, especially outside of big cities. The government explicitly encouraged women to have as many children as possible to counteract the country's declining population."

The report on pro-life Ireland does not mention Ireland's protection of the unborn but references access to contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases stating, "There were no legal barriers that prevented women from taking advantage of these services."

The reports also include a section on Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Secretary Clinton stated, "This year's reports highlight the treatment of marginalized people, including LGBT people and people with disabilities. Too many countries still criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, and LGBT people face discrimination and violence in many more countries." 

Country reports can be found on the main page for Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011.  

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be holding a Family Planning Summit of government leaders beginning on July 11th in London to greatly increase funding for population control programs. According to C-Fam, the Gates Foundation is spearheading a campaign to raise governments' commitments to sexual and reproductive health services and rights, distribution of contraceptives, lobbying for more contraceptives, and removing what it calls "barriers" to contraceptives, such as parental involvement. While Melinda Gates insists the campaign is not about abortion or population control, it fails to include maternal and child health programs, and in fact would divert resources away from critical care programs. The Summit is also sponsored by International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the leading abortion provider around the world.

PNCI notes that another sponsor of the meeting is a strong abortion advocate--the UK Department for International Development--which among its grantees are International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the International Consortium for Medical Abortion (ICMA) and the Safe Abortion Fund. The UK agency set up the Safe Abortion Fund after President Bush reinstated the US pro-life Mexico City Policy which stopped US funding to international organizations that performed or promoted abortion. 

The strident advocacy of abortion by many of the participating organizations can be read on the website of the ICMA, which on May 28, 2012 launched the International Campaign for Women's Rights to Safe Abortion. This campaign which was initiated at the 2011 International Conference on Family Planning in Senegal, also organized by the Gates Foundation, by a number of NGOs which issued A Declaration in Support of A Global Campaign for Safe Abortion Access. The declaration has now been taken to the campaign level which according to the ICMA, "aspires to become a movement to challenge the growing threat posed by conservative political and religious forces who are seeking to turn the clock back, block efforts to improve laws and provides services, and exclude abortion from maternal mortality reduction and family planning initiatives."

The Gates Foundation's position that it does not fund abortion loses credibility by the day when its partners and recipients of funds seek to overturn laws protecting children in the womb and their mothers from the violence of abortion and in the case of IPPF and others--commit abortions daily.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its 2nd edition of its guide to "safe" abortion. Written for "policy-makers, program managers and providers of abortion care", the guide Safe abortion: technical and policy guidance for health systems includes recommendations for the best methods of performing abortions and suggestions for legislation and policies. The WHO recommends the self-administration of misoprostol for abortions after the first trimester, despite the abortion drug's serious risks to a woman's health and life. This is especially dangerous to women in developing countries where access to basic health care is limited at best. Law and policy recommendations emphasize abortion in the context of human rights and mistakenly point to abortion as a solution to maternal mortality. Incredibly, the WHO acknowledges that many of its recommendations lack scientific evidence. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Global Outreach detailed some of the false statements in the report and points out the that consultants include vehement pro-abortion activists including the Center for Reproductive Rights and Professor Rebecca Cook of Toronto, one of the world's leading pro-abortion legal experts.

A resolution-China: forced abortions a flagrant violation of human rights- was approved by the European Parliament following the news of the forced abortion of Feng Jianmei and the wide distribution of the gruesome photo of the traumatized woman with her dead seven month gestation daughter lying beside her. The violence of the forced abortion impacted lawmakers at the European Parliament who are appalled at the brutal enforcement of China's population policy which includes one child per couple and pregnancies only when approved by birth permits.

The author of the resolution, Alojz Peterle MEP from Slovenia explained the action, "We condemn the implementation of coercive abortions in China since it is a flagrant violation of human rights. This practice is unacceptable for the European Parliament." The resolution 2012/2712 (RSP) "strongly condemns the decision to force Ms. Feng to have an abortion and condemns the practice of forced abortions and sterilizations globally, especially in the context of the one-child policy."  The resolution also expressed concern over the use of EU funds to organizations working in China which may be complicit with enforcement of China's population policy: "...the EU has provided, and still provides, funds for organizations involved in family planning policies in China," and "urges the Commission to ensure that its funding of projects does not breach" the European Parliament's commitment against coercive population control. As a result of the Resolution, the topic of forced abortion will be discussed at the next human rights dialogue between the EU and China.

Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, praised the resolution and the focus on EU funding of non-governmental organizations working in China stating: "The UNFPA and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) work hand in hand with the Chinese population control machine, which is coercive.  They are funded by many nations, not only in Europe but the world over, including the United States.  I have no doubt that any investigation by the European Parliament or others will reveal that these organizations are complicit with coercive family planning in China." 

A hope that the resolution in the European Parliament will inspire similar resolutions was expressed by Littlejohn, "I hope that this courageous action by the European Parliament will serve as a model for governments all over the world to join the outcry against forced abortion in China -- and to stop funding it." This sentiment and praise was also expressed by Chai Ling, founder of All Girls Allowed, who stated, "Today, the European Parliament stood boldly for women and girls in China. I hope and pray that the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration will follow suit. They can play a role in ensuring that no other woman has to suffer a forced abortion."

A hearing was also held in the human rights subcommittee of the US House of Representatives by Rep. Chris Smith who stated, "In recent days, the exploitation and forced abortion at seven months of Feng Jianmei has sparked global outrage -- and deep concern for her welfare and that of the women of China (In early July, the European Parliament "strongly condemned" China's one child and forced abortion policy). While Feng remains in a hospital-she calls it a prison-her husband, Deng, has been beaten. Feng's gross mistreatment however is far too commonplace."

"Abortion is a weapon of mass destruction. Millions have been exterminated."

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan announced plans for new birth control legislation to control population growth. President Jonathan acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue in the highly religious country where both Christians and Muslims regard children as gifts from God. He noted there would be efforts to sensitize the public before enacting population control legislation. "So first and foremost, before government comes up with regulations, guidelines or laws, Nigerians must be made to know that we cannot continue to procreate and procreate even though we know children are God's gifts," said Jonathan. The president directed the National Population Commission (NPC) to start birth control advocacy, ensured government funding and support, and gave the commission until 2015 to issue National Identity Cards to all eligible Nigerians.

Religious leaders are voicing their strong objections. 

The Turkish government withdrew its plans to further limit abortion following strong pressure from abortion advocates. The proposed legislation would have reduced the time limit for abortion from the current ten weeks gestation to six weeks, which would in effect ban abortion since pregnancy is often not confirmed until six weeks. Pro-abortion womens' groups have been very active in Turkey since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said abortion is "murder" and announced legislation further restricting it. A campaign to stop the legislation was formed with international support--Say No to Abortion Ban by pro-abortion and radical organizations whose slogans include: "Abortion is not murder, but banning abortion is!" and "Freely chosen safe abortion is a woman's right to life; it cannot be restricted, it cannot be banned!"

The people of Liechtenstein have voted to uphold the royal parliamentary veto. The national referendum followed a national vote last year to decriminalize abortion. Prior to the vote, Crown Prince Alois had said he would use the power of the veto to uphold the nation's pro-life laws. Prince Hans-Adam II and Prince Alois--who has been ruling in his father's stead since 2004-- were called "the most powerful monarchs in Europe". 65 percent of the largely Catholic country voted against the referendum; one supporter who launched an online campaign in support of the Prince called him a "guardian who ensures stability."

Despite having legalized abortion on demand since 1997, illegal abortions are rampant in South Africa. A recent article brought attention to wide-spread advertising for abortion services by alleged abortion doctors who post flyers, advertisements and pamphlets all over Cape Town. The reporter contacted a "doctor" from an ad- "Dr. Abba"- who said he provides abortions during all nine months of pregnancy. "It is a very quick and safe process that takes anything from 30 to 45 minutes. We give the patients tablets and then we clean them up afterwards. There are no side effects or complications," he explained. Abortion in South Africa is available on demand for the first trimester and is provided for free in public facilities where they are performed by doctors, nurses and trained midwives. Yet, abortion advocates like Marie Stopes International claim the prevalance of illegal abortion is due to poor access to public health facilities, lack of advertising and conscientious objection of doctors and nurses who refuse to perform them.