St. Louis Teen Eagles at the United Nations
By Laurel Spencer
During August 15-18 the St. Louis Chapter of Teen Eagles lobbied at the United Nations’ Persons with Disabilities Conference. The group worked closely with ISHRI representative Terrence McKeegan, and was comprised of nine members who made individual contributions in speaking personally with UN delegates and lobbyists and gained much insight as to the proceedings found therein. Among the many avenues for involvement during their stay, the St. Louis Teen Eagles in speaking with delegates regarding specific wording in the working text that the pro-life coalition wished to have eliminated. Such wording included the term, “sexual and reproductive health services”, whose definition is greatly ambiguous, and other phrases for which an agreeable definition could not be found. The Teen Eagles also interviewed delegates from various countries for the purpose of determining their opinions regarding the elimination of the text mentioned above. Two members from the St. Louis group chose to represent the non-biased radio program, NGO Voice, and interviewed delegates from the countries of Malaysia, Ethiopia, and Ghana, thus affording information as to where the countries stood regarding the text in question. Other Teen Eagles elected to distribute informational literature, through which they spoke personally to many delegates and encouraged them to consider that the objectionable wording had the potential of creating a binding law that could make abortion, among other atrocities, permissible in their country. Since there are 192 countries present at the UN, these tasks required a commitment from each Teen Eagle. During the four days at the UN, the Teen Eagles processed and learned a great deal of information. Besides these efforts, the Teen Eagles also attended two, three-hour sessions each day. These sessions provided an opportunity to determine what had been agreed upon in the previous meeting, and what had yet to be debated in the working text. It was during this time that the opinions of some countries could be determined as many delegates elected to come forth with the thoughts and concerns of their constituents. This opportunity in itself was one that was greatly informational and provided much necessary information for the tasks requiring oral and intellectual involvement. The trip the St. Louis Teen Eagles took to the United Nations not only provided an opportunity for the Teen Eagles to learn about international policy making, but also to experience first hand what it is to push for truth in an oftentimes unsettling environment. The Teen Eagles experienced the urgency that is felt when one is dealing with a binding document that has the power to overrule a country’s constitution, and understood that the fight is in its entirety uphill and strenuous. This experience will undoubtedly be one that this group shall never forget. The Teen Eagles will most assuredly make their way back to the ways of international policy making, taking a stand once again in the battle for truth with the countries of the world.Laurel Spencer is a member of the St. Louis Teen Eagles
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY & HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE
ISHRI
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© 2006 International Solidarity & Human Rights Institute, P.O. Box 4152, Steubenville, OH 43952
Disabilities Convention - Final Session
