UNICEF, the United Nations children's agency, may soon drop its advocacy of children's rights and so-called reproductive health issues under the leadership of a new executive director, CNSNews.com reported last week.

Ann Veneman was chosen for the position by US President George W. Bush and formally nominated to the post by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. She will assume her new duties on May 1.

Veneman, who until recently was Bush's secretary of agriculture, will succeed Carol Bellamy. Nominated in 1995 by then-President Bill Clinton, Bellamy raised the ire of pro-lifers and others in calling for education for girls over boys, endorsing the legalization of abortion and increased access to abortion, and focusing on reproductive health care services and sex-education programs.

At a news conference, Veneman promised to bring to the agency "an agenda of helping children, particularly in the areas of education and health and to address the issues of hunger and malnutrition." When asked about her predecessor's reproductive health policies, she said, "I don't believe that these issues are relevant to the missions of UNICEF."

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As a matter of policy, approved by its Executive Board, UNICEF does not advocate any particular method of family planning, believing this to be a matter best decided by people themselves in accordance with their needs, values and preferences. As a matter of practice, UNICEF does not provide contraceptive supplies. UNICEF has never provided support for abortion and it continues to be the long-standing UNICEF policy not to support abortion as a method of family planning.

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[ 29 January 2005: Message edited by: catje ]

Here is the fuller story, with useful context and history, from the Washington Post of 15 January.

This was news to me, and seriously disturbing news:

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The top post at UNICEF has gone to an American since the organization was established in 1946. U.N. officials hope that the hiring of a prominent Republican official to a senior U.N. post will help improve the organization's troubled relations with the United States.

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Through its history, UNICEF has been one (not the only one, but a stellar example) of the UN agencies that work best, do most, and give us most reason to continue to hope that one day we can build a UN that actually works, one of the greatest projects that humankind still have to take on seriously.

It is an enormous and well-funded organization, and there is no reason at all that it cannot address all children's issues. There is certainly no reason that its focus should be narrowed to the propagandistic interests of George Bush's murderous regime.

UNICEF has always been one of the aid organizations I am happiest to support. Now, I fear, I am going to have to watch very carefully what the superannuated Veneman tries to do to the organization.

And my best source of hand-made and gorgeously dyed Indian paper is going to be cut off.

Seriously, this is distressing news, and I hope that anyone with more information will keep us up to date.