In This Issue:
- PRI in the Media
- USAID Shutdown is a Victory
- China’s Ongoing Organ Harvest
- Deepening Depopulation
- Vietnam’s Two-Child Policy
- Hungary Strengthens Family Policy
- South Koreans’ Negative Sentiments
- Finland’s Birth Crisis
- Communist China
- Sex-Selective Abortion Continues
- Science Gone Mad
- Politicizing Scientific Journals
- Pro-Life Around the World
- U.K. Funds Abortion Pill Smuggling
- March for Life in Sydney
- Poland’s Abortion Loophole
- Massive Abortion Increase
- Spain to Enshrine Abortion
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- Wyoming Requires Ultrasounds
- Arizona Drops Abortion Ban
- Pro-Lifers Praise Trump
- Good News
- Successful Treatment in the Womb
PRI in the Media
USAID Shutdown is a Victory: In this piece for LifeSiteNews, PRI President Steven Mosher celebrated the shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as a monumental victory for American taxpayers and the country’s values. The closure will save $54 billion annually and ends a long-standing history of misused taxpayer funds, including reckless spending on woke ideologies such as funding LGBT activism, promoting transgender surgeries, and advancing gender and diversity initiatives globally. Under the leadership of Samantha Power, USAID had become a tool for left-wing agendas, with funds that inadvertently supported terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah and bolstered Democrat-controlled groups in Washington, D.C. Beyond waste and fraud, USAID’s population control policies, including promoting abortion and pressuring countries to sterilize and abort, undermined American principles abroad. This victory eliminates an institution that not only misused taxpayer dollars but also sought to impose harmful ideologies on the world.
China’s Ongoing Organ Harvest: Cynthia Sun’s presentation at Ave Maria School of Law’s “Victims of Communism” conference on February 18th revealed the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing human rights abuses, including forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience. Sun, a senior researcher at the Falun Dafa Information Center, outlined how the CCP systematically arrests, detains, and tortures religious practitioners, particularly Falun Gong followers, who are often subjected to lengthy prison sentences and forced organ harvesting. The CCP’s persecution campaign, initiated in 1999 under Jiang Zemin, has led to millions of arrests and widespread torture. Sun identified six main methods of repression in China, including mass detentions, digital surveillance, forced labor, and transnational influence operations. Mr. Mosher, in his talk at this same conference, also highlighted the deadly impact of communism in China, which has resulted in tens of millions of deaths.
Deepening Depopulation
Vietnam’s Two-Child Policy: Vietnam is considering relaxing its long-standing two-child policy in response to a declining birth rate. In 2024, Vietnam’s birth rate hit a record low of 1.91 children per woman, one of the lowest in Southeast Asia. In response, the health ministry is reportedly considering allowing couples to decide the number and timing of their children, in order to avoid future issues such as labor shortages and socio-economic challenges. Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong has stressed the need for swift action, including reducing penalties for larger families and offering financial support to encourage higher birth rates.
Hungary Strengthens Family Policy: Hungary is strengthening its pro-family agenda by introducing more tax breaks and incentives to encourage couples to start families. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that starting in October, tax deductions for children will be doubled, and mothers with two or more children will receive full income tax exemptions. The government also plans to raise the age limit for the “childbirth incentive loan” to 35, offering interest-free loans of up to 11 million forints ($28,800), with loan forgiveness benefits for additional children. Hungary’s birth rate, which had dropped to 1.23 in 2011, rose to 1.61 in 2021 but fell to 1.51 in 2023. Orbán aims to increase the birth rate above 2.1 by the end of the decade to ensure population replacement.
“Hungary is going all out to increase its fertility rate,” says Mr. Mosher. “Enacting the kinds of programs that we have been recommending for years, including sheltering mothers of two or more children from income taxes. If Hungary can’t succeed in replacing itself, then the prospects for other European countries are even more dismal.”
South Koreans’ Negative Sentiments: Despite a slight increase in South Korea’s total fertility rate last year, young people overwhelmingly associate marriage and childbirth with negative emotions, including sadness, fear, and disgust. The Korean Peninsula Population Institute for Future (KPPIF) analyzed around 50,000 posts on marriage, childbirth, and parenting from the Blind platform, revealing that over 60% of posts expressed negative sentiments. Marriage-related posts most frequently conveyed sadness (32.3%), fear (24.6%), and disgust (10.2%). Childbirth and parenting-related posts showed similar trends, with disgust, fear, and sadness dominating the emotions expressed. These findings expose the attitudes contributing to a low marriage and birth rate in South Korea.
“South Korea, beginning in the 1970s, was one of the first testing grounds for anti-life programs and propaganda,” says Mr. Mosher. “Obviously, the population control fanatics at USAID and the UN succeeded only too well. This generation of young Korean women wants nothing to do with marriage or childbearing.”
Finland’s Birth Crisis: Finland’s plummeting birth rate has raised significant concern, with Venla Berg, a leading researcher at the Population Research Institute Väestöliitto [no affiliation to PRI], calling it a “humanitarian crisis.” Despite a slight increase in births in 2024, the overall trend remains downward, with Finland recording its lowest birth rate in 2023. While surveys show that Finns ideally want around two children, the actual fertility rate is below 1.3, reflecting a gap between desired and actual births due to various factors. Berg warns that this decline will lead to smaller families, more childless adults, and a growing elderly population without children.
Communist China
Sex-Selective Abortion Continues: New statistics from China have revealed that sex-selective abortion continues in the communist country. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s 2024 annual report revealed a staggering gender imbalance in China, with 133 boys born for every 100 girls among couples having a third child. This much of an imbalance cannot be achieved naturally, instead, it is a product of “gendercide,” the sex-selective abortion of baby girls. While the report doesn’t specify how many third children are born annually, it highlights an estimated 30 million more males than females in the country in 2023. This imbalance is fueled by son-preference, coercive birth limits, the availability of ultrasound for sex determination, and easy access to abortion, contributing to human trafficking and sexual slavery in China and neighboring countries.
Science Gone Mad
Politicizing Scientific Journals: Ten scientists have filed an arbitration demand against Sage Publications, accusing the publisher of retracting their studies on the dangers of the abortion pill, Mifepristone, for political reasons. The February 2024 retractions occurred just weeks before the Supreme Court heard arguments on the availability of abortion pills. The scholars, affiliated with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, argue that Sage violated its contractual obligations, was negligent, and discriminated against them based on their beliefs. The studies in question, one of which revealed a 500% spike in emergency room visits following chemical abortions, were cited in a legal decision that led to the suspension of FDA approval of Mifepristone. The scholars claim Sage’s retraction was unjustified, as it failed to provide any major errors or falsifications to justify such a severe action, calling the reasons for the retractions “pretextual.”
Pro-Life Around the World
U.K. Funds Abortion Pill Smuggling: A report by The Telegraph revealed that the United Kingdom has been funding Las Libres, a Mexican organization involved in illegally distributing abortion pills into the United States. Since 2019, the UK’s Foreign Office development budget has sent £5 million to the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF), which in turn supports Las Libres. The group, founded in 2000, has become a key player in smuggling abortion pills into U.S. states where abortion is illegal following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. By early 2023, Las Libres claimed to have facilitated 20,000 abortions, with the number increasing. However, Veronica Sanchez, founder of Las Libres, stated that UK funds were not used for their U.S. operations, claiming that donations from U.S. civilians supported their abortion pill distribution efforts in the U.S.
March for Life in Sydney: On March 23rd, thousands are expected to gather at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney for the 25th anniversary of the Day of the Unborn Child. Organizers are hoping for over 4,000 participants, with the day beginning at 10:30 am with a choral Mass, followed by the Angelus at noon. A procession will then take place, led by Archbishop Anthony Fisher O.P. and Cardinal Mykol Bychok, marching from the cathedral to Parliament House and back. The event holds special significance this year, coinciding with an anticipated parliamentary debate on abortion laws. Paul Hanrahan, Executive Director of Family Life International, emphasized the event’s importance, as abortion is an unprecedented tragedy, with over three billion unborn children lost in the past 50 years.
Poland’s Abortion Loophole: The first abortion center in decades has opened in Warsaw, Poland, aiming to assist women in obtaining chemical abortions amid the country’s strict abortion laws. Founded by the Abortion Dream Team, the center provides information on how to access abortion pills and offers instruction for women during the process. While taking abortion pills is legal in Poland, helping others obtain them can result in up to three years in prison. Poland has a near-total abortion ban, with exceptions only for cases where the mother’s life or health is at risk, and in cases of rape or incest. It remains to be seen how Poland’s legal system will respond to the opening of this center.
Massive Abortion Increase: Abortion statistics released by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health reveal a significant rise in abortions between April 1st, 2023, to March 31st, 2024. A total of 2,792 abortions were performed during this time period, marking a 28.78% increase from the previous year. This increase of 624 abortions represents the largest rise in a single year since abortion on demand was introduced in Northern Ireland and a 77% increase from 2021. The number of late-term abortions (13 weeks and over) increased by 61.70%, while disability-selective abortions for non-fatal conditions saw a 56.25% rise. Additionally, there was a 20% increase in abortions for children under 18. The Belfast Trust performed the most abortions, with significant increases in several other regions as well. These figures highlight a marked increase in abortion rates since the imposition of an extreme abortion regime by Westminster in 2019, a move that was opposed by Northern Ireland MPs.
Spain to Enshrine Abortion: The Spanish government is considering adding abortion as a so-called “right” in the nation’s constitution. Minister of Equality Ana Redondo expressed support for the idea during a March 5th press conference. Redondo claimed that enshrining abortion as a constitutional right would protect sexual and reproductive rights, as well as women’s freedom. However, she acknowledged that Spain’s historically Catholic culture may not fully support such a change, calling the process “enormously complex.” While abortion is currently legal in Spain up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, adding it as a constitutional right could lead to further extensions of abortion access. Spain’s consideration of this change to its constitution comes after France became the first country in the world to enshrine a “right” to abortion in their constitution.
Pro-Life on the Home Front
Wyoming Requires Ultrasounds: In Wyoming, women seeking pill abortions will now be required to undergo an ultrasound before receiving the abortion pill, following lawmakers’ decision to override Governor Mark Gordon’s veto. While Governor Gordon had expressed concerns about the law’s necessity, particularly for victims of rape and incest, lawmakers emphasized the importance of ensuring women’s well-being. Regarding Governor Gordon, Republican Sen. Darin Smith of Cheyenne stated, “He’s very concerned about the psychological effects of this procedure, but what about the psychological effects of having an abortion, for the rest of your life?” Requiring ultrasounds for chemical abortions is a reasonable measure to ensure informed decision-making and safeguard women’s physical and psychological health.
“An ultrasound picture is worth a thousand words,” says Mr. Mosher. “In this age when expectant mothers post pictures of their unborn child on social media, seeing a picture of their own unborn child is enough to convince many young women not to go through with a chemical or surgical abortion.”
Arizona Drops Abortion Ban: Arizona has permanently blocked its 15-week abortion ban, following a ruling from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz on March 5th. The decision came after abortion advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Planned Parenthood, argued the ban was unconstitutional. The 15-week ban was part of a wave of state laws triggered by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, but abortion rights activists swiftly challenged it, leading to the court’s order to prevent the law from being enforced. Abortion is now legal in the state until “fetal viability,” a term with ambiguous interpretation by medical professionals.
Pro-Lifers Praise Trump: Pro-life groups have praised the Trump administration’s recent decision to drop a lawsuit filed by the Biden administration against a pro-life law in Idaho. The lawsuit had centered on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to stabilize both the mother and the unborn child during emergencies. Supporters of Idaho’s law argued that the law appropriately allowed exceptions for emergencies while opponents contended it conflicted with federal care requirements. Following the dismissal of the lawsuit on March 5th, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador expressed relief, stating it was a victory against the Biden administration’s misinterpretation of federal statutes that sought to prevent states from enacting pro-life laws.
Good News
Successful Treatment in the Womb: A recent case study published in The New England Journal of Medicine details a groundbreaking medical breakthrough in which a group of U.S. doctors successfully treated an unborn baby with a rare genetic condition, type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), while still in the womb. The expectant mother, who had previously lost a child to SMA, participated in an experimental treatment where she took the drug Risdiplam daily for six weeks before giving birth. Risdiplam helps increase the levels of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein to prevent nerve cell breakdown, a crucial element missing in SMA patients. The drug passed through the umbilical cord into the amniotic fluid, benefiting the unborn baby. After birth, the infant continued the treatment, and as of 30 months later, the baby shows no signs of the condition, marking a significant success in the treatment of SMA.
Quote of the Week
“There is no greater threat to humanity. In the past 50 years, more than three billion unborn children have been lost to abortion. This unprecedented tragedy demands our attention and action.”
~ Paul Hanrahan, Director of Family Life International Australia
