Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 3

Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.

John Perry

Question:

92 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that no further funding is given to UNFPA; if his attention has been drawn to a system in China that limits families to one or two children and which sets sterilisation quotas for officials; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that Chinese women have been forcibly sterilised, Chinese men have been mutilated and that new-born Chinese children have been killed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8641/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The UN Fund for Population Activities, UNFPA, has given repeated assurances that it does not support China's one child policy. The UNFPA's programme in China has projects in 32 poor counties. It was requested by the Chinese Government and approved by the 36-member state UNFPA executive board. The programme adheres strictly to the voluntary, human rights based approach to reproductive health and family planning stipulated by the programme of action adopted by the UN Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994.

The abolition of quotas and targets in the 32 counties was a condition of UNFPA assistance. Funds were released only after the UNFPA field office received official written communication from provincial/local authorities that quotas and targets had been removed from participating counties. It has been agreed with the Chinese Government that the project will follow all UNFPA procedures for monitoring and evaluation. In addition, the Government has agreed that the project counties will be open to monitoring visits by foreigners and that county officials would be available to talk to foreign delegations.

In December 1997, Ireland's ambassador to China participated in a field trip organised by UNFPA to view its programmes in China. He was completely satisfied that UNFPA was not in any way supporting China's one child policy. Following the trip, the ambassador noted that the long-term objective informing the UNFPA programme is to encourage China's family planning system to adopt a more enlightened client-driven focus by demonstrating the efficacy of a client-oriented qualitative approach operating within the counties selected by the agency.

Ireland has been making voluntary contributions to UNFPA since 1993. In 2001, Ireland is contributing £1 million to the fund's core resources. Indicative commitments of £1.45 million and £2 million have been given for 2002 and 2003 respectively. It is estimated that 500,000 women in the developing world die each year due to pregnancy-related causes and that 350 million women have no access to any form of contraception. The money provided by Ireland Aid contributes to UNFPA's efforts, saves the lives of thousands of women each year and helps prevent hundreds of thousands of unwanted pregnancies.

Ireland has just completed a three year term on the executive board of UNFPA. Through its membership of the board, Ireland was able to participate directly in detailed donor discussions on UNFPA's programmes and be in a position to closely monitor UNFPA's performance. We assumed our position on foot of the regular rotation of donor representatives. During our tenure on the board, Ireland participated actively in policy debate concerning the present and future orientations of the agency.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has a sufficient body of information available to it from this and other sources on which to form a positive assessment of UNFPA's operations. On the basis of that information, and in light of specific and repeated assurances from UNFPA, I am satisfied that its operations are conducted in full accordance with its mandate.

I am aware of allegations about the effects of China's population control policy on the human rights of the Chinese people. The Government remains very concerned about the human rights situation in China. We have repeatedly expressed our concerns, at every appropriate opportunity, to the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally and through the EU-China human rights dialogue. This dialogue is our preferred channel for working to improve the human rights situation. At the General Affairs Council of 22-23 January, the EU took a number of decisions to improve the dialogue. It was decided to intensify it, focus it better and assess it on a continuous basis. The most recent session of the EU-China human rights dialogue took place on 22-23 February.

On 28 February, the Chinese authorities announced their decision to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Together with my European partners, I welcomed this decision and view it as an important starting point for further improvements in the situation of economic, social and cultural rights in China.