Caroline Nokes, who chairs the women and equalities select committee, wrote to Truss, who is also minister for women and equalities and a Tory leadership candidate, asking why key phrases relating to reproductive rights were deleted . More than 20 countries had signed the initial declaration that emerged from a UK-hosted conference on freedom of religion and belief earlier this month. This version included a commitment to repeal laws that “allow harmful practices or restrict women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, bodily autonomy.” But those phrases were removed from a later version of the international pact, which is currently online and has been signed by eight countries, including the UK and Malta, where abortion is illegal. Malta was not one of the original signatories. “One of the most important freedoms a woman can have is the right to control her own reproductive health. It is very unclear why the sections on sexual and reproductive health were withdrawn at such a late stage and apparently without consultation or discussion,” Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, said in a statement to the Guardian. “Around the world, the repercussions of Roe v Wade have worried women and girls and I would think that the UK would want to be at the forefront of defending their rights. “I have written to Liz Truss as Foreign Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities asking her to explain this sudden backsliding on women’s rights. Surely the religious freedoms supported must also include the freedom of the right to abortion?’ Fiona Bruce, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief at the International Ministerial Conference earlier this month. Photo: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Truss, who is locked in a bitter battle with former chancellor Rishi Sunak to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, gave the opening address at the international ministerial conference on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) held in London on early July. The prime minister’s special envoy to the FoRB, Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, was heavily involved in the gathering. Bruce is co-chair of the all-party caucus of pro-life MPs. The changes to the gender equality declaration have caused friction with a number of other countries. Denmark and Norway protested the “substantial changes to the statement and the manner in which the changes were made” and Canada is “seeking clarification” of what happened. Human rights and pro-choice groups expressed their outrage, with more than 20 organizations writing to Truss to demand the government immediately reverse the deletions and explain why they happened. On Wednesday, Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, said: “We welcome Caroline’s call for the UK Government to provide a full and honest explanation of why these changes were made – and to restore the original text. The government said these amendments were to resolve a “perceived ambiguity”, but support for women’s human right to freedom of belief and bodily autonomy is by no means ambiguous. Rather, they are values that should be unequivocally upheld, as they were in the original intergovernmental agreement.” The FCDO previously said it amended the statement “to address a perceived ambiguity in wording,” without elaborating. “The UK remains committed to championing universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights and will continue to work with other countries to protect gender equality in international agreements,” he added. FCDO has been approached for further comment.
