This can be done using a technology called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) which is used already for selecting healthy babies among parents who might pass on genetic diseases.

PGD cannot be used for gender selection in New Zealand.

"When I first started I thought, yeah, why not?" said Macy Cattell. "But as I looked further into it there are all sorts of consequences."

She said the process was risky, which might be worth it when balanced against the risk of a genetic disorder, but not for a gender preference in otherwise healthy foetuses.

"I also felt like overall women might suffer [in places with gender preferences] ... even in New Zealand, where we might think there's gender equality."

PGD can be used by people who have a chance of passing serious genetic disorders on to their children.

Ethics Committee approval is required to carry out PGD for any other reason (such as ‘saviour siblings').

In New Zealand, the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act provides as follows:

No person may, for reproductive purposes -

• select an in vitro human embryo for implantation into a human being on the basis of the sex of the embryo; or
• perform any procedure, or provide, prescribe, or administer anything in order to ensure, or in order to increase the probability, that a human embryo will be of a particular sex.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• fertilityassociates.co.nz
• loc.gov
• facebook.com
• Image: stuff.co.nz

Bishop Emmanual Badejo, who is director of communications for Africa's bishops (SECAM), was responding to comments Mrs Clinton made to a Women in the World Summit.

Mrs Clinton reportedly said: "Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed" for the sake of giving women access to "reproductive health care and safe childbirth".

Bishop Badejo told Aleteia that Mrs Clinton was speaking to get votes, rather than from reason.

"I believe there are three groups of people in this world; those who believe in God, those who do not believe in God, and those who think they are gods," the bishop said.

"Hillary Clinton I think is one of those who thinks she is a god. And I'm not obliged to believe that. "

"From the way she spoke, people like herself very clearly don't want to hear anything about God.

"Even if they say they believe in God, they really don't."

Bishop Badejo said he feels Mrs Clinton has become "too wrapped up in technology and has stopped realising that there are values, there are things that are innate to people, that are not just ‘codes' that can be taken up and thrown out".

Bishop Badejo, who heads the Oyo dioceses in Nigeria, also took issue with Mrs Clinton's use of the term "structural biases".

"Again, that is a misuse of language. Biases, to many people, are the things that make them who they are."

He said Americans should know what sort of people want to be the next US president.

Bishop Badejo was also asked about the appointment by the Obama administration of the first ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons.

The bishop said people "ought to open their eyes to the cultural imperialism that America is promoting, and promoting so blatantly".

Sources

• Aleteia
• Catholic Hierarchy
• Image: The Leader Assumpta

The reason is that these states oppose a strong drive to use the issue of violence against women as a means to establish abortion in rape cases as a right of reparation under humanitarian law.

Similar negotiations by the Commission on the Status of Women last year failed to reach consensus, because of disagreement over "reproductive rights", a term closely associated with abortion. This means there is exceptional pressure this year to reach agreement.

At a press conference, commission head Michelle Bachelet signalled she was willing to accept compromise, and even exclude the term if it meant reaching agreement. Nevertheless, at a later event she moderated she employed the term when she had the chance.

According to the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, however, the real issue is a proposal from African nations.

Last year the United States and European delegations did not want a document that gave any latitude to sovereign states in implementing the commission's policies.

This year African nations have again put forth similar language, recognising the sovereign right of countries to implement policies in accordance with their own traditions, religions, and cultures. This has been common language throughout the history of UN social policy negotiations.

The proposed paragraph also states that tradition, religion and culture cannot be used to defend human rights abuses. Bachelet seemed to echo the paragraph when she told reporters, "culture, tradition or religion should not be used as an excuse, because no culture or religion really supports violence against women".

For its part, the Holy See has staked out some broad human rights positions.

For example, it is arguing for a right to basic health care in situations involving violence against women and men; a global agreement to oppose forced sterilisation and abortion; special assistance to women migrants, even if they are undocumented; and protection of women's freedom of religion, belief, conscience and thought.

Sources:

Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute

Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute

Huffington Post

Image: The Guardian