UK in diplomatic standoff over deletion of abortion rights from gender statement

The statement was drawn up during the international ministerial conference on freedom of religion or belief, held in the UK in early July. Photograph: Courtesy of FCDO

The UK government is in a diplomatic standoff with three European countries over a statement on gender equality that it changed to remove commitments to women’s reproductive and sexual health rights.

Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands are refusing to sign the edited version unless their concerns “are taken into consideration”, a spokesperson for the Dutch foreign ministry told the Guardian on Thursday.