C-Fam Statement at the 19th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Civil Society Forum 

June 8, 2026 (see the video)

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and dear colleagues,

Because of C-Fam’s mission, I will highlight two egregious violations of the rights of persons with disabilities.

First, we call on States parties to the CRPD to put an end to eugenic abortion as well as eugenic screening and genetic manipulation of embryos. Over 90% of children in utero diagnosed with Downs Syndrome are killed before they can ever delight us with their smile. In Nordic countries, the nearly 100%. Several nations continue to develop eugenic abortion programs that screen for disabilities, targeting those deemed inconvenient or a burden. Increasingly, these eugenic aims are also being pursued through genetic screening and manipulation.

We urge States to abolish these inhuman practices and to assist mothers and the family with up-to-date, evidence-based information about disabilities, including information on treatment options, support services, hotlines, and other relevant resources.

Second, we call on States parties to protect persons with intellectual disabilities from sex-rejecting procedures. State parties have an obligation to immediately end these experimental medical practices under Articles 17, 23, 24, and 25 of the Convention. 

In recent years, thousands of these vulnerable children and adults have fallen prey to an industry that commodifies personal distress for profit. In America, the “gender medicine” industry has pushed experimental and unproven sex-rejecting procedures such as puberty-suppressing hormones, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures that mutilate and permanently scar vulnerable children and adults.

A recent comprehensive review of sex-rejecting procedures commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that gender dysphoria disproportionately affected girls with autism by a factor of 30 in some studies. Moreover, it found that persons experiencing gender dysphoria have a higher rate of comorbid mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, suicidality, self-harm, and eating disorders. This has been documented across the world. The HHS report concluded that there is no evidence that sex-rejecting treatments are effective. On the contrary, a host of short- and long-term adverse effects are likely to result from sex-rejecting procedures, including infertility and sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density development, adverse cognitive effects, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, psychiatric conditions, surgical complications, and regret.

Considering this, States Parties have an obligation to explore alternatives to pharmacological and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria, including mental health care and psychosocial services.