The United States has joined Egypt, Uganda, Brazil, Indonesia, and Hungary to co-sponsor an international declaration against the United Nation's universal right to abortion.
The Geneva Consensus Declaration, a non-binding international agreement, asks signatories to reaffirm that every human being has "the inherent right to life" and "dignity and worth of the human person".
It stands in direct opposition to the view of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which in 2018 enshrined access to abortion as a universal right.
Hosting a virtual signing of the declaration on Thursday, local time, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the declaration "protects women's health, defends the unborn, and reiterates the vital importance of the family as the foundation of society".
Abortion rights activists protest outside the US Supreme Court in Washington. Source: Getty
"There is simply no international right to abortion," he said. "It's the first time that a multinational coalition has been built around the issue of protecting life."
Thirty-two countries have so far signed on to the declaration, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Sudan, Pakistan, Poland, Belarus, Kenya, and Bahrain. Many of the signatory countries have been accused of human rights abuses.
"It's a group of countries that respect life," Mr Pompeo said. "The US is proud to stand with each and every one of them."
Some of the signatory countries already have total abortion bans in place, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Egypt, and Senegal.
In Brazil, abortions are only allowed when the pregnancy is a result of rape, the mother's life is at risk, or the foetus is missing part of its brain.
Meanwhile, on the same day of the ceremonial signing, Poland's constitutional court further restricted abortion access in the country. Already, the country only allows terminations in cases of rape of instance, a threat to life, or for a deformed fetus.
But under the new ruling, abortions may now be banned terminations in cases where there are congenital birth defects.
There are fears the US will also soon take a backwards step on abortion rights, with attempts to overthrow Roe v Wade - a 1973 Supreme Court case that cemented the national right to abortion.
Over fifty pro-choice activists gathered in Krakow's Market Square on Friday to protest further restrictions on abortion in Poland. Source: AAP
Abortion rights activists see the imminent confirmation of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is personally opposed to abortion, replacing progressive Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as a significant threat to women's health.
The UNHRC’s General Comment on the Right to Life says "restrictions on the ability of women or girls to seek abortion must not, inter alia, jeopardize their lives, subject them to physical or mental pain or suffering ..., discriminate against them or arbitrarily interfere with their privacy."
It continues: "States parties must provide safe, legal and effective access to abortion where the life and health of the pregnant woman or girl is at risk, and where carrying a pregnancy to term would cause the pregnant woman or girl substantial pain or suffering."
The declaration does not change any existing domestic laws, but Mr Pompeo said he hoped the "historic" document would result in tangible results.
"We are doing more than just signing on, agreeing on the importance of these issues, we are making a commitment to work together at the United Nations and in other international settings," he said.
