Adina Portaru of ADF International A Christian legal group said last Wednesday that its inclusion in a report claiming that “religious extremists” are seeking “to roll back human rights in sexuality and reproduction” is part of a “targeted smear campaign”.
ADF International was responding to a report issued by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) ahead of a major European Parliament vote on abortion.
The EPF report, Tip of the Iceberg: Religious Extremist Funders against Human Rights for Sexuality and Reproductive Health in Europe 2009-2018, lists ADF International as one of more than 50 “anti-gender actors operating in Europe”.
Adina Portaru, who serves as senior counsel, Europe, for ADF International, said: “ADF International is a human rights organisation that protects the fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people.”
“We defend persecuted religious minorities across the globe and support the right to life. Our ‘Vanishing Girls’ campaign in southeast Asia, for example, defends girls against sex-based discrimination.”
“All our work for clients is pro bono. We receive funds from private donors who believe in our vision.”
She continued: “While we support open debate and discussion on the topics related to our work, the EPF has sought to shut down conversations about human rights through a targeted smear campaign.”
On its website, the EPF says that its donors include the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF), the George Soros-founded Open Society Foundations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Nike Foundation, and the UNFPA.