EU Parliament discusses abortion

The EU Parliament votes on a document which advocates the legalisation of abortion in June. Discussions have already begun.

The Commission of Women’s Rights and Equality of Opportunities of the European Parliament begins discussion on Tuesday of a document which recommends the legalisation of voluntary interruption of pregnancy in the EU and in the candidate states to be new members.

The document declares that this is a matter of “rights regarding sexual and reproductive health” and recommends that “the voluntary interruption of pregnancy should be legal, safe and universally accessible”.

The commission is of the opinion that “abortion should not be approached as a method of family planning” but requests the member states and the candidates to be new members “to not act judicially against women who have performed illegal abortions”.

The document favours an attack on the root causes of abortion, rather than punishment of those who feel they have no other option than to terminate their pregnancy, either through family pressure or through the fear that they will not be able to bring up their baby. Through family planning services and accessible emergency contraception (the “morning after” pill), together with impartial, scientific and easy-to-understand documentation, it is claimed that women will have the means necessary to avoid situations in which an abortion becomes a viable option.

The Commission advises that a joint data base should be set up, for the member states to learn together how best to approach the problems as they arise.

The document will be under discussion in the Commission until Wednesday after which it will be presented for voting in the European parliament, in June.

Teenage sexual experiences are these days the norm and not the exception in most societies. Inexperience or pressure, often from the male partner, for a full sexual relationship, leads to situations of unplanned pregnancies. Given that many GPs refer their patients who can pay to abortion clinics anyway, and that those who cannot pay visit “abortion nurses”. often in precarious sanitary conditions, there does seem to exist a need for legislation.

However, the Pro Life group, backed by the Catholic Church, argue that it is the duty of every human being to protect human life, not to destroy it.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru