Priests for Life is a recognized Civil Society Organization (CSO) at the Organization of American States (OAS) based in Washington, DC. We participate in OAS meetings and collaborate with the Holy See Mission and numerous pro-life CSOs to foster international policies protecting the dignity of human life at all stages.
March 2021
Priests for Life joined 27 other international Human Rights organizations in an important friend-of-the-court brief against infanticide in a case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). The brief informs the court that El Salvador is allowed, under international human rights law, to enforce its criminal statutes on crimes against newly born children. It provides the court with an understanding of why El Salvador’s ban on infanticide not only does not violate, but is required by international human rights law, particularly the American Convention on Human Rights. El Salvador is one of the 8 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that recognize in their Constitution the “human person from the moment of conception”. Therefore, it penalizes direct, voluntary or provoked abortion under any circumstance.
March 2020
Priests for Life Accredited by the Organization of American States
Priests for Life is excited to share the news that our application to be accredited by the Organization of American States (OAS) has been accepted by the Permanent Council of the OAS enabling us to extend our pro-life advocacy to this regional organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The OAS is comprised of 35 countries of the Americas, from Canada to Chile, with 69 states having permanent observer status including the Holy See.
One of the leading instruments of the Inter-American system for the protection of human rights is the most pro-life treaty in the world, the American Convention on Human Rights, which declares: “Every person has the right to have his life respected. This right shall be protected by law and, in general, from the moment of conception. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.”
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, said, “Priests for Life is very much looking forward to advancing this treaty as it participates in meetings of the various entities of the OAS, especially when the right to life of unborn children is challenged by pro-abortionists active at the OAS. And I want to thank our international team, especially Marie Smith and Bob Lalonde, for the very effective work they do for Priests for Life in the international arena.”
Priests for Life has been
accredited at the United Nations since 2003 and anticipates an active presence at the Organization of American States.
Read the OAS letter of approval for Priests for Life.