Planned Parenthood honors Peru's minister of health

Lima, Peru, Sep 1, 2010 / 11:52 am

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has awarded Peru’s Minister of Health, Oscar Ugarte for his “efforts in support of reproductive health.” Several months ago, Ugarte ignored a ruling by Peru’s Constitutional Court and went forward with the distribution of the morning-after pill.

The IPPF gave Ugarte the “Medal of Honor for his Individual Contribution to Sexual and Reproductive Health.”  The organization said the award “honors political and social leaders who have taken decisive measures in the defense of the recognition of sexual and reproductive health, as a human right in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

The awards ceremony took place on Saturday, August 28, at a well-known hotel in Lima. 

Carlos Polo, director for Latin America of the Population Research Institute, said it was not surprising that the IPPF would award someone who supports its business. “In this case, it has awarded Ugarte for disguising one of its best weapons,” he commented.

“To say the pill does not have abortifacient effects pollutes the consciences of women and promotes the killing of children in the secrecy of misinformation,” he went on. “Nor is Ugarte’s audacity any surprise. His ignoring of a ruling by the Constitutional Court is now explained,” Polo said.

“This is the second time that the IPPF honored a Peruvian Minister of Health for openly lying about the anti-implantation mechanism of the morning-after pill. The first was Pilar Mazzetti in August of 2005.

“Curiously both awards ceremony were kept quiet. Mazetti’s was strictly private and Ugarte’s took place behind closed doors at a hotel,” Polo reported.