The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has been holding its forty-ninth session. The February 28th-March 11th gathering has been held to review and appraise the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action from the 23rd Special Session of the UN General Assembly. Read more The Beijing Declaration was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. In addition to the declaration review, the Commission planned this month to consider "Current challenges and forward-looking strategies for the advancement and empowerment of women and girls."

Days before the gathering was set to begin, the Bush administration signaled to other nations that it would not unequivocally reaffirm the commitments made by the United States to the world's women a decade ago. Over 30 organizations sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to urge the Bush administration not to withdraw from the U.S. pledge made at the Beijing Women's Conference. Organizations issued a March 3rd statement to urge the US to stop blocking consensus about women's rights. During the gathering, the U.S. delegation had stalled consensus by offering language that specified that the Platform conferred no new international rights, including no right to abortion.

Two memorable comments by US delegate Ellen Sauerbrey: "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." She articulated US policy on Aids prevention for adolescents: "We emphasise the value of the ABC - abstinence, be faithful, and correct and consistent condom use where appropriate - approach in comprehensive strategies to combat the spread of HIV/Aids and the promotion of abstinence as the healthiest and most responsible choice for adolescents." Sauerbrey's statements were not well received. On March 2nd, Sauerbrey read a statement from Dr. Rice

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