On Tuesday, Sept. 24th, the International Planned Parenthood Federation sponsored an event on the European Parliament Brussels premises.
This event, and the so-called “All of Us” group co-sponsoring, is a renewed wake up call to Europeans about the reality and risks of the trafficking of human body parts revealed by the recent under-cover videos on Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the IPPF US member organization, and demonstrates the urgent need to bring back One of Us’ call to stop public funding of unethical research and programs that imply the destruction of human embryos.
The One of Us Citizens’ Initiative specifically warned about the risks and tragedy of programs that imply the destruction of human embryos, namely the research on human embryos and EU funded programs including abortion in developing countries. Today, this reality is made obvious through the videos released in the United States, where officials from the IPPF US affiliate admit openly about the organization’s wide involvement in human body parts trafficking through the explicit efforts and sales of aborted embryos body parts to for-profit companies. This activity is forbidden and deemed as criminal in the US, and Planned Parenthood is currently under scrutiny by the US Congress, with the lower house having already voted to temporarily withdraw public funding to the organization.
Now, these recent events do not seem to have impacted some liberal European politicians. Upon being questioned by a Member of the European Parliament during yesterday’s event, MEP Sophia In’t Veld (ALDE, Netherlands), a chief supporter of IPPF, declared: “IPPF is a completely legitimate organization and yes it receives support by the European Commission”.
Surprisingly though, even though there is a distinction between some US and EU practises* IPPF has admitted that it fears for its economic interests should the One of Us Citizens’ Initiative succeed in defunding unethical programs. IPPF, along with British global abortion provider Marie Stopes International, has officially requested to intervene as a third party during the upcoming landmark audition in Luxembourg that positions the European Commission against One of Us. In such conditions, Ms. In’t Veld remarks and other forms of denial sound at best to be misinformed and clearly indicate that they have no interest in clarifying the problems and risks that EU funded programs implying abortion in developing countries or at home do or may cause, as well as questioning the organizations IPPF who may benefit from it.
In light of these developments, the One of Us Federation, with a renewed conviction, demands today that a true and full democratic debate and investigation be launched into the risks of human trafficking under EU-funded research that utilizes human embryos or programs abroad that include abortion and may involve organizations like IPPF.
It calls all supporters and its 27 national member organizations from 17 EU Member States to join the Appeal of thousands of experts to launch this debate. Visit www.oneofusappeal.eu (to be launched soon) to demand the same debate at the national level, regarding all similar local organizations like IPPF affiliates.
To raise your voice for this, use the following social campaigns:
- on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefundIPPF
- on Twitter: #DefundIPPF
Contact: press@oneofusappeal.eu or by telephone at +33 1 86 26 62 64
* the EU only funds research programs using human embryos and not body parts
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The One of Us European Federation for Life and Human Dignity is an international non-profit, non-political, and non-denominational Federation legally registered under Belgian law.
It is a legal entity composed of 27 national and local member entities to date, who participated in the collection of signatures during the ECI and provide care, counsel, and advocacy free services to all throughout Europe.
