Article 6 of the CCPR begins by acknowledging: "Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life."  The Human Rights Committee in General Comment no. 36 attempts to change this.

 

While the GC acknowledges that States may regulate abortion, it repeats the extreme pro-abortion argument that pregnancy can be a 'form of punishment' that violates a woman's right to life: "Although States parties may adopt measures designed to regulate terminations of pregnancy, such measures must not result in violation of the right to life of a pregnant woman or her other rights under the Covenant, including the prohibition against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment."

 

States are told that they must provide access to abortion: "States parties must provide safe access to abortion to protect the life and health of pregnant women, and in situations in which carrying a pregnancy to term would cause the woman substantial pain or suffering, most notably where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or when the foetus suffers from fatal impairment."

 

The abortion paragraph is followed by one that addresses suicide and euthanasia. The GC cautions against suicide: States "should recognize that individuals planning or attempting to commit suicide may be doing so because they are undergoing a momentary crisis which may affect their ability to make irreversible decisions, such as to terminate their life."

 

However, in regards to euthanasia, the GC is in favor of actions to "facilitate the termination of life" by medical professionals of "afflicted adults, such as the mortally wounded or terminally ill, who experience severe physical or mental pain and suffering and wish to die with dignity."

 

Queensland's parliament has voted to legalize abortion on demand for the first 22 weeks gestation. The new law- the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018- will also permit late term abortions if two physicians agree it should be performed and will establish "safe access zones" of 150 meters around abortion clinics to prohibit sidewalk counseling. Following several days of emotional debate, MPs were given a conscience vote on the government supported bill, which passed by a vote of 50-41.

 

Pro-life groups vowed to target members who voted for the bill in the next election. "As the first responsibility of government is to protect innocent human life, these politicians have shown themselves to be unfit for public office," said Teeshan Johnson with Cherish Life. Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the vote signals that euthanasia would be the next legislative target. "The Archdiocese of Brisbane will continue to engage with our large network to fight for the lives of the most vulnerable - those yet to be born and those in the final stages of life," he said.

Ireland's Health Minister Simon Harris has refused to meet with pro-life legislators about the country's new legislation on abortion. Ten pro-life TDs say they sought a meeting with the minister to discuss their concerns and were denied. The Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill has passed the second stage of voting by TDs and will now be considered by committee, the stage at which amendments will be debated.

Spain's Congress of Deputies has advanced legislation to legalize euthanasia after it voted to reject an amendment on palliative care. The proposed amendment, offered by the conservative Peoples' Party (PP), sought to replace the socialist government's euthanasia bill. The amendment failed by a vote of 210-134. The euthanasia bill now moves forward to the amendment phase and then will be considered by the Justice Commission before going back to the full congress where it needs to be approved by a majority- 176 votes. PP Deputy Pilar Cortés criticized the government's bill, saying "euthanasia is not progressive" and emphasized the need to respect the "dignity of life from the beginning to the end and to the good death".