Recently, the United Nations (UN) examined the practices related to prenatal screening, abortion, and forced sterilizations in Europe. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) raised serious concerns about these issues during their meeting on March 11 and 12.
One major concern is the “discriminatory eugenic behaviors” in prenatal screenings. The committee highlighted that people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, as well as autistic individuals, are particularly affected by these practices. The CRPD urged the European Union to take long-lasting measures to combat stigma, discrimination, and ableism in prenatal diagnostics and to provide adequate support for families raising children with disabilities in their communities.
The UN also pointed out that some medical protocols can be discriminatory and that there have been higher mortality rates for people with disabilities, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. The committee stresses the need for guidelines to ensure equal access to life-saving treatments, particularly in medical emergencies.
Another concern involves new technologies like artificial intelligence and automated decision-making. The CRPD emphasized that people with disabilities should have the right to consent to the use of their health data and should be able to control their personal information, which requires user-friendly interfaces.
The committee also raised alarms about the integrity of individuals with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities. They reported that some people undergo “irreversible, invasive, and harmful treatments,” including forced sterilizations, abortions, and contraceptives. The UN has called for an end to these non-consensual practices.
The CRPD highlighted the importance of all the recommendations made in their final observations, and the next report on these issues is expected on November 23, 2032. It remains to be seen if Europe will take the necessary actions.
This article has been translated and simplified by artificial intelligence from a French article “Dépistage prénatal, IVG et stérilisation forcées : l’ONU épingle les pratiques eugénistes de l’Europe”
It may therefore contain errors. The French version is the reference version..