PO Box 20203, Washington, D.C. 20041
2009 October Volume 3, No 10
International Pro-life Actions
Lawmakers Standing Strong for Life against Political Party
Pro-life legislators have demonstrated their dedication and commitment to protecting the unborn in the face of pressure and opposition from their own political party. PNCI 
was outraged to learn of the suspension of two pro-life deputies by the Brazil's ruling political party. Stalwart pro-life leaders Deputies Luiz Bassuma and Henrique Afonso, members of President Lula's Labor Party, were suspended from the party due to their strong actions to defend life. Bassuma's and Afonso's pro-life actions have been highly successful; as the leaders of pro-life parliamentary groups they were able to gain critical votes and defeat measures to legalize abortion.
Their suspensions resulted in the loss of committee positions and participation in party meetings. Bassuma joined the Green Party and has filed suit against the Labor Party. Forty-six Catholic dioceses have denounced the party's decision stating, "the deputies were punished for taking on the defense of the first human right: the right to life of the defenseless innocent, from conception."
PNCI applauds the commitment of these dedicated pro-life lawmakers whose courageous stand is an encouragement to all who work to promote and protect laws and policies that respect life at all stages.
African Bishops Warn of Threats to Life
The three-week assembly of Catholic bishops from throughout Africa concluded in Rome with a strong call to protect the unborn child and the family from foreign ideologies. The Synod also issued a special plea to lawmakers to promote laws that respect the dignity of all. The African Synod gathered 33 cardinals, 79 archbishops and 156 bishops, to consider the theme "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace." During the meeting, many issues confronting Africa were discussed while the Synod denounced the aggressive push of abortion and anti-family policies upon African societies in the name of development assistance.
Attention focused on article 14, the pro-abortion provision of the Maputo Protocol of the African Union, which the Synod labeled "unacceptable". Proposition 20 of the Synod's final document states, "According to the Church's teaching, abortion is contrary to God's will. Furthermore, this article is in contradiction with human rights and the right to life. It trivializes the seriousness of the crime of abortion and devalues the role of childbearing. The Church condemns this position on abortion and proclaims that the value and dignity of human life be protected from the moment of conception to natural death."
"The Synod Fathers call on the Church in Africa and its Islands to commit herself to employ the necessary means and structures to help and accompany women and couples tempted by abortion. Moreover, they praise the courage of governments in their legislation which fights abortion."
Of particular importance to parliamentarians, the Synod stated its understanding of the challenges confronting lawmakers and urged Episcopal Conferences at all levels "to establish advocacy bodies to lobby members of parliament, governments and international institutions, so that the Church can contribute effectively to the formulation of just laws and policies for the people's good."
PNCI applauds the findings of the Synod and offers its assistance to efforts to assist lawmakers advance laws and policies which advance a culture of life.
Spain: Pro-Life Protests to Proposed Expansion of Abortion Draws Millions
Nearly 2 million Spaniards came out to protest the Spanish government's proposal to increase access to abortion. The Socialist government has issued a legislative initiative 
to remove restrictions on abortion and permit abortion on demand for the first trimester and allow teenagers as young as 16 to obtain an abortion without parental consent. While the bill is expected to pass due to its support from the ruling Socialist party, pro-life efforts to oppose the legislation are increasing. Benigno Blanco, director of Spanish Family Forum and a former government official said "this debate won't end until there's not a single abortion." The bill is expected to be debated in the spring of 2010.
International Pressure for Abortion
UNFPA Hosts Parliamentarians in Addis Ababa
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored a recent regional meeting for lawmakers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in recognition of the 15th anniversary of the Implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development Conference in Cairo. UNFPA, with support from International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPF)and Marie Stopes International, has established an extensive international network of lawmakers on the issues of population, development and reproductive health since it was acknowledged at Cairo that national lawmakers are the final decision-makers on abortion policy.
The invitation-only meeting was attended by 400 parliamentarians, ministers and other government officials and civil society from over 115 countries and was hosted by the House of the Peoples' Representatives of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and UNFPA. Speakers included pro-abortion advocates Gill Greer, Director General of IPPF, Jill Sheffield, President of Women Deliver and Bert Koenders, Minister for Development Cooperation, the Netherlands.
In the draft document, parliamentarians expressed agreement with the need to eliminate restrictions in laws and practices on access to "sexual and reproductive health" and to work more closely with NGOs on implementation of ICPD programme of actions. Gill Greer praised the radical pro-abortion NGO meeting in Berlin and presented the NGOs' requests to the parliamentarians. These requests included that parliamentarians invest in "comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services", "ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all young people", and "create and implement formal mechanisms for meaningful civil society partnership in programmes, policy and budget decisions, monitoring and evaluation."
In essence, Greer relayed the desire of radical NGOs to usurp the authority of freely elected lawmakers by creating a new formal position for NGOs in the legislative decision making process on critical policy and budget questions to promote abortion, indoctrinate youth with radical views on sexuality and abortion, to see that such programs are funded to the maximum, and to self-monitor and evaluate their own actions.
Bert Koenders, Minister for Development Cooperation of the Netherlands-and a radical abortion activist known for the pro-abortion pressure he placed on Nicaragua- clearly stated the objectives for developing countries. Koenders said: "The Netherlands supports national and international NGOs which are dedicated to promoting safe motherhood, the training of midwives, safe abortions, the legalization of abortion, the provision of sex education for young people, and family planning."
PNCI urges parliamentarians to beware of "partnerships" with UNFPA and NGOs which promote abortion.
Pro-Abortion Efforts at the Council of Europe Face Pro-Life Challenge
The planned vote on a pro-abortion resolution in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was postponed this month when strong opposition indicated it would not pass. Sponsored by British abortion activist, Christine McCafferty MP, the resolution, " Fifteen Years Since the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (Document 11992)," proposed for all states to legalize abortion by 2015 and create new "sexual and reproductive rights". The delay on the vote shows the importance of pro-life lobby efforts. John Smeaton, Director of the UK's Society for the Protection of the Unborn (SPUC) urged members throughout Europe to lobby their representatives to PACE and said "Pro-life lobbying works. Never give up!"
A second meeting on the report is scheduled for mid-November in the Council of Europe's Committee for Social, Health and Family Affairs during which Italian lawmaker Luca Volonte will introduce pro-life amendments to two reports issued by McCafferty. McCafferty's second report, which is also sponsored by the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights, is entitled: Women's Access to Lawful Medical Care: The Problem of Unregulated Conscientious Objection.
If the Committee passes the reports, then the Parliamentary Assembly will consider the reports as a Resolution to be voted up or down. Pro-life action is requested to members of the committee. Details found here. McCafferty is a relentless pro-abortion activist who chairs the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health (APPG), and works closely with UNFPA, IPPF, and Marie Stopes International to form pro-abortion parliamentary groups around the world.
UK: Foreign Aid Policy Declares Abortion a "Right"
The UK is a leading donor country funding efforts to promote abortion around the world. Recently, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) released an updated policy position guiding its work in 150 countries which declared abortion to be both a "right" and "necessary". It stated: "Women have the right to reproductive health choices".
The policy statement also indicates DFID will work to lobby for legalization in nations where abortion is illegal by "supporting process of legal and policy reform". Pro-abortion NGO International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC) celebrated the new policy and urged supporters to voice their thanks in a letter which includes, "...your new policy guidance will help make ensure access to safe abortion services available for women worldwide. Your continued support is critical for the many advocates working at local, national, and international levels to rescind or liberalize restrictive abortion laws."
PNCI notes: US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton defined reproductive health as including access to abortion and now the UK Department for International Development defines abortion as a "reproductive health choice". Great caution must be used when debating any legislation which includes references to "reproductive health" to ensure it does not promote abortion.
Judicial News
Colombia: Court Again Decides in Favor of Abortion
Colombia's Constitutional Court, which legalized abortion in 2006 and attempted to establish public policy to advance legal abortion, has once again decided an abortion case. The 2006 case brought by Monica Roa, coached by the Center for Reproductive Rights, approved three legal exceptions for abortion-life or health of the woman, serious malformation of the unborn child, and when pregnancy results from rape, incest or forced implantation- was believed by many to be Latin America's Roe vs. Wade. But when greater access to abortion did not result, pro-abortion activists prepared for round two.
This latest action by the Constitutional Court states that a woman seeking an abortion in accordance with Colombian law cannot face any additional requirements which delay the abortion including parental consent for minors under age 14. The Court's ruling orders hopsitals to perform abortions, have free abortion services at all municipal levels, threatens sanctions to health professionals who object to participate in abortions and fail to refer the woman to an abortionist or fail to submit a written explanation of their position, and does not allow for conscientious objection for hospitals or institutions or to administrative personnel. Those health care workers who do not comply with the ruling face a penalty.
Debate is raging over the recent decision which also mandated an educational campaign on the "right to abortion" and called on the Ministries of Education and Social Protection to implement a plan within three months of the decision to promote "sexual and reproductive rights" of women including information on a "woman's right to abortion". The State Council (Colombia's highest court on administrative issues) suspended the actions of the Ministry of Social Protection to enact regulations on abortion arguing that only Congress has the authority to regulate abortion and health care thus prohibiting abortion until its legal status is resolved.
Attorney General Alejandro Ordonez Maldonado announced he will ask the Constitutional Court to overturn the ruling mandating educational campaigns on abortion including those directed at schools. Religious leaders of all faiths oppose the controversial ruling.
Legislative News
Peru: Congress to Consider Law Expanding Abortion
The Peruvian Congress will soon consider legislation to legalize abortion in cases of rape and fetal deformation. Despite great opposition, a Congressional committee has approved the bill to expand the 1924 law which only permits abortion to save the life of the mother. Large demonstrations sounded outside the congressional buildings during debate. The bill will be debated by Congress in the coming months.
Canada: Parliament Considers Legalizing Euthanasia
The Canadian Parliament has begun consideration of legislation to legalize euthanasia. Bill C-384, a private members bill would change the criminal code to permit euthanasia and assisted suicide and would also allow doctors to end their patients' lives. The first of two debates on the bill indicated a strong opposition to the legislation with more MPs speaking out against it than in favor. The second debate and vote are scheduled for mid-November.
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The Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues (PNCI) is committed to networking members of democratically-elected legislatures in efforts to advance respect for the inherent value, worth, and inviolable dignity of every human being from the first moment of existence. PNCI issues the Parliamentary Network E-News to provide lawmakers, and those who work with them, news from various sources on the international threat to pro-life laws and current legislative and judicial actions on critical life issues challenging parliamentarians around the world. PNCI is a project of Life Issues Institute.
All news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the information contained in the news articles is accurate. info@pncius.org
