PNCI E-News 2008
PARLIAMENTARY NETWORK E-NEWS
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International Pro-Life Action
Cardinal
Alfonso López Trujillo, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Family,
has announced a new Vatican-led
campaign calling for a United Nations moratorium on abortion. The campaign
will begin in
International Pro-Abortion Action
International Abortion Campaign Focuses on Chemical
Abortion
Abortion advocates worldwide continue to focus on the use
of medications for chemical abortion as an alternative to surgical abortion.
Janet Ramos Barrientos of the Legal Committee of the Latin American Alliance
for the Family (ALAFA) explained that a new document by the organization
Gynuity (working with IPPF) entitled, Choices for Introduction of Medical
Abortion in
PNCI is deeply concerned that Gynuity and other abortion advocates are seeking the use of medications for chemical abortion worldwide. Gynuity has produced materials in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish advocating ways to change regulations for the use of medications for abortion stating, “Many countries do not have specific regulations dealing with medical [chemical] abortion since it is a relatively new technology.” Source: CNA
UNFPA
Annual Report: Link Reproductive Health to Poverty Reduction
UNFPA’s
recently issued annual report identified the primary focus of the
organization’s efforts as the promotion of reproductive rights, including
abortion services, around the world. UNFPA plans to pressure countries to
change policies and increase spending for reproductive health programs, and
cites family planning programs as a method of reducing “unsafe abortion”.
Notably, “unsafe abortion” is defined by UNFPA officials as “illegal abortion.”
In the forward to the report UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid states that the
future work of UNFPA will seek “to link reproductive health, population and
gender with the broader issues of poverty reduction.” Source: C-FAM
Legislative News
Members of the UK
All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group are planning to meet with Prime Minister
Gordon Brown to request a free vote on the Human
Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. The legislation, which is expected in the
House of Commons after Easter, is a government sponsored bill, and so Labour
MPs could be disciplined for not voting for it. A number of Labour MPs
who belong to the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group are due to meet the
Prime Minister to explain the need for a conscience
vote on the bill since it addresses critical ethical issues including the
creation of human-animal hybrid embryos. The MPs are joined by several
like-minded Ministers. Source: Guardian
Unlimited
Philippine
Legislature Considers Two-Child Policy
The Filipino House
of Representatives is currently considering three bills that would institute a
two-child policy. While legislation proponents claim the policy would be
voluntary, the legislation includes criminal penalties. Eileen Macapanas Cosby,
President and Founder of the Filipino Family Fund, based in
The new governor of
Argentinean province La Pampa, Mario Jorge, recently vetoed a pro-abortion bill
passed by the legislature. The bill, which passed the legislature in November,
created guidelines for physicians in dealing with non-punishable abortions.
Governor Jorge declared the legislation was “unconstitutional” and that it
would, in practice, pave the way for abortion on
demand. Source: CNA
The Unborn Victims
of Crime Act (C-484) which would recognize unborn babies as separate victims
when their mother is the victim of a violent crime received its first hour of
debate in the House of Commons. Citing the need to protect pregnant women
against abusers, the bill’s sponsor Ken Epp noted, "This bill is about
doing what is right and decent in a civilized and compassionate society. It is
just, it is humane, and it is long overdue." The legislation comes in
response to requests from victims’ families who want Parliament to enact
legislation to recognize unborn children as separate crime victims when they
are harmed or killed during criminal attacks against their mothers. Debate will
continue once Parliament resumes at the end of January. Source: Life Site
Executive News
President Bush
addressed the annual March for Life which marked the 35th
anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion on demand for all
nine months of pregnancy. In remarks delivered from inside the White House
President Bush said, “I see people with a deep conviction that even the most
vulnerable member of the human family is a child of God. You're here
because you know that all life deserves to be protected.”
He continued to
express his view that the pro-life goal was to create a “culture of life” where
women with unplanned pregnancies can find care and young pregnant women can
complete their education adding that America must be a place “where the dignity
of both the mother and child is honored and cherished.” Such an effort he
explained will require “changing hearts” on abortion.
Two days prior to
the March President Bush proclaimed
Philippine President
Orders Government Campaign Against Abortion
Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has instructed the government to heighten its efforts
to dissuade the public from abortion and provide counseling for women facing
unintended pregnancies. A devout Catholic whose administration promotes natural
family planning, abstinence, and the traditional family, President Arroyo’s
recent actions follow the discovery of a dead fetus in the washroom of the
Italian Health
Minister: RU 486 Coming Soon
The Italian media is
reporting that the abortion drug RU 486, mifepristone, will soon be approved
for sale in the country. Health Minister Livia Turco, who supported hospital
trials of the drug, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper, "We have
pledged to make it available (in
Nicaraguan President
Denounces Media Campaign Against Country’s Pro-life Laws
Responding to
repeated criticisms by European countries and pro-abortion international
organizations, Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega declared a “media war” of lies against his country for its
protection of the unborn. "It's totally false,
what they go around saying, that mountains of women are dying because the
penalization of therapeutic abortion was approved in the National
Assembly...that is a huge lie, a falsehood!" said Ortega. The President
explained that the nation’s medical Procedural Code- requiring doctors to do
what is necessary to save a woman's life if threatened by conditions related to
her pregnancy- is not affected by the law.
Ortega further defended his country’s defense of life and cited a
decrease in maternal deaths to a delegation of parliamentarians from Nordic
countries, several of which have been pressuring
Issues
Two influential abortion
leaders have publicly admitted that pro-life arguments are convincing. In a
recent opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, Kate Michelman (former
president of the abortion lobby organization NARAL) and Frances Kissling
(Catholics for a Free Choice) acknowledge the significant impact the focus on
the unborn child and details of the brutality of abortion have had on the
abortion debate, as well as the success of efforts to limit access to abortion.
Citing the impact of the phrase “culture of life,” these abortion activists
state that, “…the slogan, as much as it pains us to admit it, moved some hearts
and minds. Supporting abortion is tough to fit into this package." Source:
Life Site
Spanish Authorities
Enforce Abortion Restrictions Leading to Arrests and Strike
Abortion clinics
closed for a week in Spain in protest to arrests of abortionists for
performing illegal late term abortions. During the strike it is estimated that
2,000 babies were spared from abortion.
Spanish officials began to enforce the country’s restrictions on late
term abortions by arresting abortionists who falsified documents so women could
be aborted under legal exceptions. A
Danish television revealed the illegal actions when a reporter who was seven
months pregnant conducted an undercover investigation during which she sought
an abortion. One abortionist who was
arrested advised her to sign an already completed form claiming she had a
mental disorder to qualify for the late term abortion. The report included
showing actual abortions. After an abortion of a 21 week old unborn child the
commentator remarks: "As soon as the baby is born, the doctor must cover
it up. No one looks at it. No one examines it."
Other abortionists were
arrested and clinics closed by authorities for violations of sanitation
regulations that included throwing the grisly remains of aborted babies
into the trash and in cases processing the remains in a garbage compactor. Bishop Munilla of
The strike by members of
the Spanish Association of Accredited Clinics for the Interruption of Pregnancy
(ACAI) included their claim that late term abortions were legal since under
Spanish law a physician can claim “grave risk” to the mother’s physical or
mental health at any stage of pregnancy. The abortion association based their
argument on the broad definition of health used by the World Health
Organization which defines health as "the state of physical, psychological
and social well-being and not the mere absence of illnesses or
conditions."
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Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768
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.
All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate.
To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org.
Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
February 28, 2008
Recent news on laws and policies affecting a culture of life
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
CONTENTS
PNCI
Commends Pro-Life Action in
Legislative News
Executive News
Issues
Ending the Life of a Newborn: "Prestigious" Bioethics Journal Article Supports Infanticide
Film Demographic Winter Profiles International Underpopulation Crisis
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PNCI Commends Pro-Life Action in
PNCI congratulates the pro-life fronts in Brazil for their
vision, encouragement, and support for pro-life elected officials from states
and cities. The actions and work of the Parliamentary Front in Defense
of Life- Against Abortion and the Parliamentary Front Against the Legalization
of Abortion, is an excellent model and one that PNCI recommends to other
countries to help ensure protection of unborn children and their mothers from
the violence of abortion at all levels of government.
First Brazilian Congress of Parliamentarians and Governors for Life
Pro-life
parliamentarians in
The First Brazilian Congress of Parliamentarians and Governors for Life developed in response to a bill to legalize abortion that is currently in being considered by a committee in the Chamber of Deputies, and soon the entire Chamber. Federal Deputy Luiz Bassuma, president of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of the Life - Against Abortion and a member President Luiz Lula's socialist Worker's Party "criticized the politicians who are on the fence regarding the legalization of abortion and called on them to take a position against or in favor," according to the Chamber of Deputies press agency. Bassuma's message is strong and personal as he has suffered persecution and threatened expulsion from the Worker's Party for his steadfast and courageous stand for life.
Discussions
in the historic meeting centered on activities of international organizations
and UN agencies that seek to change
Speaking
about the
The
congress concluded by issuing a proclamation - calling on the government to
"make a great effort focused on maternity, placing all of the necessary
aids at the disposal of pregnant women so that they can have a quality
gestation from the medical point of view."
The proclamation will be delivered to the nation's Supreme Court, as well as to
Brazilian President Lula and the presidents of the Senate and Chamber of
Deputies. The parliamentarians also rejected the use of the "Morning After
Pill" and voiced opposition to destructive embryonic stem cell
experimentation. Source: Life Site
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Legislative News
Pro-life
legislators in
The South African parliament passed a bill this month that will permit nurses and midwives to perform abortions. The legislation further increases access to abortion by removing requirements, including the requirement that abortions be performed in hospitals. Pro-life groups strongly opposed and campaigned against this bill, arguing that it will allow 12 year old girls to obtain abortions up to 20 weeks without any limits, and further, that the bill fails to include any conscience protection for doctors and nurses. The legislation has been sent to President Thabo Mbeki for final approval. Source: Life News
A
Jamaican government committee is considering the legalization of abortion on
demand up to 22 weeks of pregnancy in the
Two Australian
governments are considering legislation to allow euthanasia. The
federal Rights of the Terminally Ill Act in the
Similarly,
this month Luxembourg
became the third country in the EU to pass legislation legalizing euthanasia.
Despite strong opposition from the Social Christian Party, the Catholic Church,
and the majority of the medical community, the bill passed and is on track to
become law, unless it fails to pass the second reading this summer. It
will join the
In a Vatican conference sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life this month, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized that the growing pressure for euthanasia is a result of population control which often leaves the elderly with little or no family members to care for them in their final days. Condemning euthanasia in all its forms, he emphasized that all society "is called to respect the life and dignity of the seriously ill and the dying."
End of life ethicist Wesley Smith warns about this growing trend and points to the International Palliative Care Initiative of Open Society Institute as promoting euthanasia and assisted suicide worldwide with funding by billionaire George Soros. Smith states, "Toward this end, Soros has donated millions to groups promoting the cause—which I believe to be an ultimately abandoning policy that implicitly tells people with terminal illnesses and other serious conditions that their lives are not as valuable or worth protecting as those of other people."
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Executive News
The Regional
Health Management of the southern region of
This "back door" approach to legalizing abortion under the guise of therapeutic abortion is advanced by US NGOs including Planned Parenthood Federation and Ipas, and is of great concern as a strategy for introducing legalized abortion in pro-life countries around the world. Source: LifeSite
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Judicial News
A
fifteen year old girl died this month from hemorrhaging after a legal abortion
at
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Issues
Ending the Life of a Newborn: "Prestigious" Bioethics Journal Article Supports Infanticide
A recent report published in the prestigious bioethics journal The Hastings Center Report promotes the killing of infants born with disabilities. Authors Hilde Lindemann and Marian Verk defend the controversial Dutch protocol known The Groningen Protocol for Euthanasia in Newborns that laid out guidelines for infanticide, and justify the killing of newborns based on the criteria of current or future pain and suffering, and overall quality of life. They write, "The whole point of the protocol is to help physicians end the lives of newborns who are so severely afflicted that neither their dying nor their living should be prolonged."
Conservative bioethicist Wesley Smith responded to the report, condemning it for placing infanticide in the mainstream saying, "With personhood theory and the 'quality of life' ethic increasingly permeating the highest levels of the medical and bioethical intelligentsia, we are moving toward a medical system in which babies are put down like dogs and killing is redefined as compassion."
Reaction to the report has been swift with disability activists taking great exception to the guidelines. The authors do not agree with those who recommend the use of pre-natal screening to detect disabilities in the unborn child followed by abortion. Rather, they suggest it is wiser to destroy the child after birth if it is determined that the child has poor prospects of a "satisfactory" life. Lindemann and Verkerk also explain that the newborn can be killed if it is determined that he or she will suffer in the future even if there is no suffering in the present. Source: Life Site
Film Demographic Winter Profiles International Underpopulation Crisis
Pro-life
groups including the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council, World
Congress of Families, and the Latin American Alliance for the Family have
released a documentary profiling the world's underpopulation crisis.
Entitled Demographic Winter: the decline of the human family, the
documentary highlights the declining birthrates across Europe,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768
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.
All news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the information contained in the news articles is accurate.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org.
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Parliamentary network e-news Recent news on laws and policies
affecting the culture of life |
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March 28, 2008 |
volume
2, Number 3 |
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Contents PNCI Advisory Monitor Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals International Advance of Abortion African-Radical Feminist Organizations Target MPs in 7
Countries Latin America- Pro-abortion organization Ipas Increases
Activities International Pro-Life Actions Pro-Life Doctor Suggests Ways to Reduce Maternal Mortality
Worldwide Legislative News Council of UK- Concern Legalized Abortion Will be Imposed on Unborn Victims Legislation Advances in Canadian Legislature Executive News Indian Government to Compensate Families for Raising Girls Issues British
Doctors: Abortion Causes Mental Health Problems |
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PNCI Advisory Monitor
Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals A new UN
website, designed by Yahoo and Google, is counting the minutes to the UN
deadline for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
monitors each country’s progress. The
eight MDGs were adopted by leaders from 189 countries in September, 2000 in
recognition of the new millennium and a new commitment to reduce extreme
poverty worldwide by the year 2015. While
these goals are laudable, those who seek to protect unborn children and their
mothers from the violence of abortion must be vigilant that access to
abortion is not advanced, especially in the achievement of the fifth For
some countries, the statistics can be useful in defending the pro-life
position. International Advance of Abortion Africa-Radical Feminist
Organizations Target MPs in 7 Countries Parliamentarians in A press release by Equality
Now states that the Protocol “is also known for its comprehensive
provisions on reproductive rights. The Protocol allows for “medical abortion
in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers
the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the
unborn child.” The release is particularly critical of Latin
America- Pro-abortion organization Ipas Increases Activities Ipas
has increased its activities in
International Pro-Life Actions Pro-Life
Doctor Suggests Ways to Reduce Maternal Mortality Worldwide Testimony
was given to the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives during a hearing on
maternal mortality by Dr. Robert L. Walley, Executive Director of MaterCare International. Dr.
Walley relayed his experience saving women’s lives in Dr. Walley addressed the lack of political
will in providing access to health care for women and strongly condemned the
actions of pro-abortion organizations saying, “I have found that mothers in The fact that most maternal deaths occur in
the last trimester of pregnancy and in the first week after childbirth was
explained by Dr. Walley who suggested that lawmakers focus on providing
prenatal care, trained birthing assistants and access to health care
facilities for obstetrical emergencies to reduce maternal mortality. He elaborated that if governments were
really serious about saving women’s lives they would ensure that women had
access to: complete prenatal care (including
adequate nutrition), treatment for common medical conditions—especially for
malaria, HIV, severe anaemia, and immunization against tetanus—access to
emergency care for management of life threatening conditions such as
obstructed delivery and complete care after childbirth to treat complications
of blood loss and infection. Legislative News Council
of Europe- Report Calls for Legalized Abortion in EU Countries A
Council of Europe parliamentary committee is considering a report calling for
all EU Member States to make abortion-on-demand a publicly funded right.
Entitled “Access to Safe and Legal Abortion in UK-Concern
Legalized Abortion Will be Imposed on The
House of Lords has finished action on The Human Fertilization and Embryology
(HFE) Bill which now goes to the House of Commons for debate. Responding to
pressure from the Catholic Church and Labour MPs, Prime Minister Brown has agreed
to a conscience vote on the legislation. The bill raises new ethical concerns
including the creation of human and animal hybrids for research purposes and increased access to abortion. Concerns
remain that the HFE Bill could legalize abortion in Canada-Unborn
Victims Legislation Advances The
Canadian parliament has further advanced the Unborn Victims of Crime Act,
acknowledging that there are two victims in a crime committed against a
pregnant woman. The bill, similar to the Unborn Victims of Violence law in
the Executive News The
Colombian government has instituted a new program to dispense free “emergency
contraceptives” and the morning after pill to all women of child bearing age,
including adolescents. All teenagers
can participate in the program, and women who are enrolled in a government or
private health plan can receive the drugs. In
an effort to curb the rampant killing of baby girls through abortion and
infanticide, Issues The
Royal College of Psychiatrists has changed its previous position to
acknowledge that abortion does cause mental health problems in women. As a result of new research indicating that
such a relationship exists, the College now suggests that this information be
made available to women considering abortion. This news comes as MPs are
about to vote on a measure reducing the upper time limit from 24 weeks to 20
weeks for abortions “for social reasons.” It is estimated that 90% of 200,000
abortions each year are done on the grounds that a continued pregnancy would
cause mental strain. Source: Sunday
Times Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary
network e-news Recent
news on laws and policies affecting the culture of life |
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April 30, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 4 |
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Contents Special Feature Pope Benedict XVI and President Bush Support Pro-Life
Political Position In Memoriam Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council
for the Family International News Ipas Promotes Abortion as Reproductive Health in Council of European Parliament Pressures Legislative News US: Bill Introduced to Ban Human-Animal Hybrids Executive News US: Judicial News Issues |
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Special Feature Pope
Benedict XVI and President Bush Support Pro-Life Political Position President
George W. Bush expressed his appreciation for Pope Benedict XVI’s strong
pro-life position prior to the Pope’s historic arrival in the Pope
Benedict was welcomed to the White House by President
Bush who acknowledged the pro-life contributions of Pope Benedict by
saying: "In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and
discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred.” He continued,
"And your message that 'each of us is willed, each of us is loved, and
each of us is necessary’". "In
a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right
and wrong, we need your message to reject this 'dictatorship of relativism,'
and embrace a culture of justice and truth.” Pope
Benedict, during his final homily in the All the
Pope’s statements during his visit to the Note:
PNCI extends congratulations to Irish singer, In Memoriam Cardinal
Lopez Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family PNCI and
pro-life advocates around the world mourn the passing of Cardinal Alfonso
Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family from Cardinal
Lopez Trujillo’s motto was "Veritas in caritate" and according to
Pope Benedict, Cardinal Trujillo dedicated "his entire life to affirming
the truth.” The numerous pro-life and pro-family conferences convened
by Cardinal Lopez Trujillo helped to educate and inform activists worldwide
on the truth surrounding critical issues affecting the family. Pope Benedict
concluded the homily commenting on Cardinal Trujillo’s generosity suggesting
that it “encourage us to use all our own physical and spiritual resources for
the Gospel, may it spur us on to work in defense of human life, and help us
to look constantly to the goal of our earthly pilgrimage". Source:
Vatican
International Pressure to Change
Pro-Life Laws Ipas
Promotes Abortion as Reproductive Health in Promotion of access to abortion by NGO Ipas continues
in Council
of The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has
passed a resolution calling for every European country to lift all
restrictions on abortion. Despite opposition led by members from European
Parliament Pressures The
European Parliament of the European Union recently hosted a meeting entitled
"The Rights of Women to Reproductive Health in Legislative News PNCI
applauds the work of pro-life lawmakers in As the The
Russian legislature is responding to the nation's low birthrate. With
the number of abortions outpacing births and abortion often used as a method
of birth control, the Duma
has introduced legislation to ban advertisements for abortion from
mainstream media outlets. Advertisements for abortion would only be
permitted in medical institutions and medical media. Other measures to reduce
abortions are also to be considered, including the regulation of private
abortion clinics. Similarly,
Christian Democrats in the Czech Republic
have proposed changes to reform the nation's liberal abortion laws. The
changes seek to lower the time frame for abortions done on the grounds of
"health" to 18 weeks from 24 weeks gestation, give the father a
voice in the decision, and raise the age of consent from 16 to 18. The US:
Bill Introduced to Ban Human-Animal Hybrids Rep. Chris
Smith introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives targeted at
the creation of part-human and part-animal hybrids. The practice is
feared to be on the rise as scientists successfully created human-animal
hybrids for the first time in the Executive News Marking
one year of legalized abortion this month, Mexico City's Secretary of Health Manuel Mondragón
acknowledges that the law has "tended to increase" the number of
abortions. Approximately 7,820 abortions have been performed since the
Law of Legal Interruption of Pregnancy was passed last April. Despite
the legalization, abortion remains unacceptable to the majority of the
population and most doctors. Further, Jorge Serrano Limón, president of
the Mexican National Pro-Life (Provida) Committee, reported this
month he had information on the eight women who died and the twenty-two
who were injured from legal abortions. US: Alaskan
Governor Sarah Palin recently celebrated the birth of a son who has Downs
Syndrome. Welcoming her fifth child, Governor Palin and her family
expressed their joy, “Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew
through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged
that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he
entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose
and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed.” Source: CNA Judicial News In a
victory for pro-life legislators in the National Congress of Chile who filed
the case, the Chilean Supreme Court has struck down a government program that
was giving out the "morning-after pill" free of charge to
adolescents and women. The decision stops the government mandated
distribution by all pharmacies, including those who refused to comply and
were fined for objecting on conscience grounds. Magaly Llaguno of Human Life
International celebrated the decision and its implications: "Vida Humana
Internacional applauds the Mexico's top court
continued hearing testimonies on the constitutionality of the Issues More
evidence in During
the presentation of a refresher course in techniques and procedures to
prevent the death of women during childbirth, Dr. Kagia pointed to a slanted
Ipas study published in the June 9th, 2007 issue of Saturday
Nation which claims that 316,560 abortions occur in the Kenya every year. Dr
Jean Kagia explained that over 44 percent of the abortion number actually
represents spontaneous abortions, also known as miscarriages, and that only
28 percent of those numbers are actually induced abortions with the remaining
from other causes. Dr. Kagian states: “…even internationally, abortion is not
a major cause of maternal mortality.” Rather
Dr. Kagia believes: "We should be putting more energy into
stopping maternal deaths than in calling for freer access to abortion.
Mothers are dying, and we have tools which we can use.” These tools
include: early identification of obstructed delivery, treatment of high blood
pressure and infection, and the availability of clean blood for transfusion. Source:
All Africa
Parliamentary
Network for Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax:
703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary network e-news
Recent news on laws and policies affecting the culture of life |
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May 30, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 5 |
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Contents International Pro-Life Actions International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Integration of Sexual and Reproductive “Rights” with Primary
Health Care Promotion of Misoprostol for Chemical Abortion to Replace Surgical
Abortion Legislative News Executive News Judicial News Issues Abortion Rate Increases
in |
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International Pro-Life Actions PNCI
reports this month on two countries where parliamentarians used their
strategic positions to protect pro-life laws and positions. Pro-life
legislators who lead the three pro-life parliamentary fronts— Luiz Bassuma,
President of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Life and against Abortion;
Leandro Sampaio, President of Parliamentary Front Against Abortion, and
Henrique Afonso, President of the National Evangelical Front in Defense of
Life and Family—demonstrated great skill and strategy in securing a victory
when Brazil's Social Security and Family Committee
unanimously rejected a bill to decriminalize abortion. The
legislation, Bill 1135/91, which removes criminal penalties for abortion, was
first introduced by abortion advocates in1991. The
President of the Committee, Jofran Frejat, Rapporteur for the bill, Jorge Tadeu Mudalen, and other
pro-life deputies were also instrumental in ensuring that undecided members
of the Social Security and Family Committee were approached during debate and
their support secured resulting in a 33-0 vote. Pro-abortion deputies
loudly challenged the rule of the committee chairman in a desperate attempt
to stop or disrupt the proceedings once they realized that they did not have
the votes to win. These antics convinced undecided deputies to side
with the reasonable and articulate position of the pro-life members while the
pro-abortion members left the room in protest sending in substitutes who
voted against decriminalization. Details of the debate and vote were
recounted by Professor Hermes Rodrigues Nery,
Coordinator of the Diocesan Commission in Defense of Life and the Movement
for Legislation and Life of the Diocese of Taubaté, The
legislation will now be considered by the Chamber of Deputies' Constitution
and Justice Committee, where it is also expected to fail. A recent opinion
poll demonstrated 68% of Brazilians opposed further decriminalization of
abortion, up from 63% in 2007. Bi-partisan
pro-life chairs of the U.S. House of Representatives reached consensus with
pro-abortion Members on a resolution to encourage efforts to reduce maternal
and infant mortality while removing problematic language that promoted
legalized abortion. Originally, H.
Res. 1022 contained language that cloaked the advance of abortion under
the use of the expression “global initiatives to reduce maternal
mortality.” With no definition, “global initiatives” can include
actions that seek to advance access to abortion as was evident in last
October’s pro-abortion Women Deliver
conference which included topics such as Advocacy for Safe Abortions:
An Integral Component to Reducing Maternal Mortality. The bill
also contained questionable new language advancing maternal health as a human
right. The amended resolution urges greater action to
promote maternal health and child survival and recognizes the need for health
programs to link both concerns in order to be truly effective in either area.
Members of the
House Pro-Life Caucus stressed the need to provide women and children with
life-affirming solutions- not abortion. Pro-Life
Caucus Chair Rep. Chris Smith stated, “Helping
mothers and helping their babies goes hand in hand. There is no
dichotomy. When women receive proper prenatal care, they are less
likely to die in childbirth and when unborn babies are healthy in the womb
they emerge as healthier, stronger newborns. I am pleased that the
resolution before us today does not endorse—in anyway whatsoever—the cruel
ideology that pits women against babies by suggesting abortion as a means of
combating maternal mortality.” “Unfortunately, some abortion activists in recent
years have attempted to exploit the tragedy of maternal mortality as a
vehicle for their promotion of abortion. I am pleased that the
resolution before us does not embrace abortion and instead properly links
maternal health and child survival—the survival of all children including the
fragile and vulnerable unborn child.” International Pressure to Change
Pro-Life Laws Integration of Sexual and Reproductive “Rights” with Primary
Health Care Access to legal abortion is included in a pro-abortion strategy
that seeks to integrate or mingle sexual and reproductive health care
programs with primary health care in countries around the world. The
World Health Organization’s (WHO) Implementing
the Global Reproductive Health Strategy--Integrating sexual and reproductive
health-care services defines five
components of a sexual and reproductive health program including “prevention
of unsafe abortion” (pro-abortion terminology for legalized abortion) that
must be merged with primary health care delivery and services. The policy brief refers to the “The
Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD) calls on countries to provide a full range of sexual and reproductive
health services in an integrated manner in the context of the primary health
care system.” The
policy brief summarizes integration issues at various levels including at the
level of service delivery, the health sector, and in national development
planning processes. A recent example of the
enactment of this strategy is Promotion
of Misoprostol for Chemical Abortion to Replace Surgical Abortion The
promotion of chemical abortion through the use of the uterine contracting
drug misoprostol continues in countries around the world as part of a global
pro-abortion strategy to increase access to abortion. A recent news
article in The
state run newspaper, the Cuban Communist daily “Granma”, listed the complications
from legal surgical abortion and expressed Cuban officials’ concerns about
the high number of abortions. The Communist government intends to increase
the availability of misoprostol for abortion induction in Cuban hospitals in
an attempt to reduce health complications associated with surgical abortion
methods. Source: CNA Legislative News This
month the British Parliament considered and approved the highly anticipated
and controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill to regulate
human reproductive technologies. Despite valiant efforts by the All
Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group and pro-life organizations, the House of
Commons passed all controversial amendments while rejecting any attempts to
curtain access to abortion or recognize the value of life. The
approved HFE bill permits the creation of animal-human hybrid embryos for use
in destructive embryonic stem cell experimentation, as well as genetically
modified human embryos, and includes the creation of "saviour
siblings" or "spare part children". The legislation
removes all references to the biological father for children resulting
from IVF treatment, and the legal status of "parent" is instead
given to the woman's partner, regardless of sex. Further, the House of
Commons rejected
amendments to lower the time limit for abortions from 24 weeks. Efforts
to extend the UK Abortion Act to Northern Ireland were thwarted, largely due
to pro-life opposition in the months leading up to the bill's consideration
including a historic consensus letter
from the leaders of the four political parties opposing the imposition of
legal abortion on the people of Northern Ireland. DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, also Chair of the All Party Pro-Life
Group in the Northern Ireland Assembly said: "It is a very powerful
message that we have four political leaders coming from very diverse
political perspectives but united in their view that we do not want the 1967
act, with all its implications, imposed on Executive News In his
initial speech to parliament, newly elected Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi vowed to take action to increase Judicial News Brazil's
Supreme Court has ruled that destructive embryonic stem cell research is
constitutional, following a challenge to the 2005 law which first permitted
the ethically objectionable practice. The 6-5 decision will allow embryos
frozen longer than three years in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics to be
used for experimentation. The Court found that the use of embryos in
laboratories for scientific purposes does not violate the constitutional
clause that protects the right to life. The Constitution of Brazil
states "All are equal before the law, without any distinction
whatsoever, guaranteeing Brazilians and alien residents in the country the
inviolable right to life, liberty, equality, security and priority." This
ruling is a disappointment to pro-life
lawmakers, organizations, and religious groups who worked hard to inform the
justices of the essential information surrounding the debate, including
the fact that not one cure has resulted from embryonic stem cells while over
70 techniques from adult stem cells treat and cure patients everyday. The
lawmakers enlisted the active support of the adoptive parents of children who
began life as frozen embryos. Their dramatic testimony refuted the argument
that embryos can be considered “spare” and discarded for experimentation
after three years. Many children adopted as frozen embryos, referred to
as “Snowflakes” in the There is
additional concern that the ruling may act as a precedent to allow the
legalization of abortion. Issues Abortion
Rate Increases in Experience in Scotland has
demonstrated that the abortion rate increases with easy access to the morning
after pill or Plan B despite pro-abortion claims that the number of
abortions would be reduced. A report from the British National Health Service
shows that the abortion rate increased by 3.8 percent and abortions now
number 13,703—an all time high for abortions in Another reported increase was in
the number of women who had more than one abortion. These abortion increases
occur despite repeated pro-abortion arguments that over the counter sales of
Plan B would result in fewer abortions. Research has shown, however, that
Plan B’s effectiveness is not as high as the 89 percent claimed by the drug
company, Barr Laboratories. Dr. Joseph Stanford of the
University of Utah School of Medicine reports that he and his fellow
researchers have discovered a lower effectiveness rate. "We did
more a precise meta-analysis that shows it's effective only 72 percent of the
time, and even that number is optimistic," he stated. He also explained
that studies from Europe, This
research comes at a critical time as more countries are considering not only
over the counter sales but also free distribution of Plan B which functions
both as an abortifacient and contraceptive. Auckland,
New Zealand is launching a pilot program distributing the morning-after
pill (MAP) free of charge. This trial program will distribute the pill
to women through pharmacists but there is no accountability or regulation of
the program including no limit as to how many pills a woman can receive or
how many pharmacies she can visit. Canada is also
making the morning-after pill more available as it permits the sale of
the pill without a doctor’s prescription or pharmacist’s oversight.
Parliamentary
Network for Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax:
703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary network e-news Recent news on laws and policies
affecting the culture of life |
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JUNE 30, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 6 |
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Contents Focus on Infanticide Action Needed in International Pro-Life Actions International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws European Donor Countries Fund
Pro-Abortion Efforts Globally Council of Legislative News Executive News Judicial News Issues |
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Focus on Infanticide Action Needed in International
emails and letters are needed in The
bill, PL 1057/2007 is known as Muwaji’s Law and named for a brave indigenous
woman, Muwaji, who refused to bury alive her newborn despite pressure from
her tribe. Muwaji’s courage has alerted many to this violation of the basic
right to life and the tremendous burden placed on women expected to kill
their own children. The bill is stalled in the Human Rights Commission of the
Chamber of Deputies and without international pressure is likely to expire.
The government claims it will not intervene in matters regarding practices of
the indigenous people. Hakani.org provides excellent analysis of
this global critical issue and provides extensive background on how the
various treaties Brazil has signed, including the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, protect the right to life of all children—including those born
into indigenous tribes. The organization states: “The right to life is
universal and does not depend on ethnic background.” Information on the
contents of letters and the email addresses of key Brazilian officials can be
found here. The documentary
of a young girl named Hakani (whose name means Smile) entitled Hakani,
Buried Alive—A Survivor’s Story has brought much needed attention to this
horrific practice and the debate between cultural relativism and the basic
right to life. PNCI congratulates Deputy Henrique Afonso for this
essential legislation and urges immediate action to help move Muwaji’s Law
out of committee. International Pro-Life Actions Irish voters, by an overwhelming majority, voted to keep
their sovereign constitution and rejected the Lisbon Treaty of the
European Union which was designed to serve as a constitution for all member
states. The vote disrupted advancement
plans for an EU constitution but was welcomed by those who fear the Treaty
would threaten existing constitutional protections protecting the life of the
unborn child. The push for abortion by some countries at the EU prompted many
pro-life individuals and organizations in the Lawmakers in International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws European Donor Countries Fund Pro-Abortion Efforts
Globally Ipas, the international organization that
trains health personnel in abortion using the hand held abortion device and
abortion pills, has announced
the receipt of new funds from the governments of This funding will allow Ipas to promote the new
abortion pill known as Medabon in Ipas is assisting the efforts of the government of Council
of The Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has passed a resolution
promoting abortion over adoption as the preferred solution to newborn
abandonment. The The
abandonment resolution calls for greater liberalization of abortion in all
member states and discourages the use of life-affirming practices or
procedures that allow a mother without resources or support to safely place
her newborn baby in the care of hospitals, religious, or government agencies.
These practices provide immediate care for a newborn child, anonymity for the
woman, and an ultimate path for adoption. Pro-abortion parliamentarians opposed
such procedures and criticized adoption claiming adoption “is closely tied up
with abandonment, just as it is with child trafficking” and called
life-saving solutions “controversial.” MP
Christine McCafferty from the Legislative News Australian officials
are considering overturning its current policy that prohibits foreign
assistance from funding abortion in developing countries. The 12 year-old regulations, known as the
“Harradine guidelines,” ban the Australian Agency for International
Development (AusAID) from funding abortion counseling, training, and services
overseas. The push
to remove the restrictions was initiated by the Australian parliamentary group on population and
development, with the support of pro-abortion NGOs who promote “safe
abortion” as a way to “treat” pregnancy. This push of abortion as a solution
to maternal health robs women and their children of aid and solutions that
are successful and save lives, such as prenatal care, trained birth
attendants, and access to facilities for emergency obstetric care. Since 1994,
over five million women have died due to a lack of basic health care during
pregnancy. Assuming abortion is the answer to maternal death assumes children
are the problem. Leading the defense of the policy, Senator
Ron Boswell asked, "Why is the [Prime Minister] Rudd government even
considering funding abortion in its overseas aid programs when Conservative
Coalition MPs in Australia’s
Parliament have launched an initiative to remove Medicare funding of
second and third trimester abortions.
The motion, which is expected to be debated in Parliament next spring,
was brought forward by Senator Guy Barnett out of concern for the public
funding of late term abortions. "We want to have compassion and care for
the unborn, we want to show love and concern for them rather than killing
them in many cases for psychosocial reasons, which is effectively abortion on
request," he said. Members of El
Salvador’s Congress have committed themselves to defending life from
conception to natural death. Adding their names to the Book of Life, the
lawmakers pledge to promote policies that protect the unborn from the
violence of abortion. This initiative, which began in Fearing
a nation-wide push for legalized abortion should the Supreme Court uphold
Executive News The
Washington Post reports that Egypt
has initiated a new population control campaign that seeks to limit
family size to two children only.
Egyptian Health Minister Hatem el-Gabali announced an $80 million
campaign with the slogan “Two children per family—a chance for a better
life.” President
Mubarak supports the campaign and has continuously urged smaller families
since taking power in 1981. A recent two day
National Population Conference was inaugurated by President
Mubarak and was attended by more than 1,000 Arab and foreign representatives
including international organizations, diplomats, and aid agencies that have
financed Egypt’s development projects. El-Gagali announced that the plan
expects to lower the fertility rate to 2.4 children by 2017 and two children
by 2030. Details on how the plan would be implemented were scarce. The present fertility rate is 2.7 children.
Judicial News The Mexican Supreme Court continues to
hear arguments in the case to overturn A Colombian court has
sided with promoters of the morning-after pill in a ruling that denies
the drug’s abortifacient component. The lawsuit was brought before a federal
court against Issues Abortion
Advanced Under Guise of Development The Catholic Bishops
Conference of Nigeria has asked the government that an international
conference on development not be used to promote abortion, instead, human
dignity and security for all should be advanced. Archbishop Felix Alaba-Job
signed the bishops’ statement about the He
continued, "There is no doubt that this agenda represents a renewed
attack on the dignity of human persons, human life and family values,” and
called on elected leaders to publicly affirm the “inviolability” of human
persons. Pressure
to control the number of children in the Filipino family increases in
response to global economic trends. As
the cost of rice and gasoline continue to rise, some political leaders are
using the situation to press for controls on family size including
legislation to limit families to two children. Monsignor Pedro Quitorio,
spokesman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the The
Wall Street Journal reports
that growing populations can help create markets, build industries and add to
a country’s economic output, as long as the right policies are in place to
allow that growth spurt to take place.
A multimedia project
on abortion in Latin America has been exposed for its pro-abortion
agenda. Carlos Polo, Director of
the Latin American office of the Population Research Institute, revealed the
true colors of “The Decency Gap”, a project funded by International Planned
Parenthood Federation, Marie Stopes International, and the Center for
Reproductive Rights, when he agreed to an interview. The project has
deceptively interviewed other pro-life leaders and bishops throughout Latin
America, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary network e-news Recent news on laws and policies
affecting the culture of life |
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JULy 31, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 7 |
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Contents PNCI ALERT Deception Used to Bypass Pro-Life Laws International Pro-Life Actions International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Re-Naming Abortion to Make It Less “Uncomfortable” CEDAW Experts Push on Abortion Legislative News Brazilian Deputies Again
Overwhelmingly Defeat Abortion Legislation US: House Condemns Forced Abortion in Executive News Judicial News Issues Self-Induced Abortion Just a Click Away Media Used as
an Abortion Tool |
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PNCI ALERT Deception
Used to Bypass Pro-Life Laws PNCI
urges all pro-life lawmakers to be cautious of the term “menstrual
regulation” (MR) as it is used to disguise the performance of abortions in
countries that prohibit and restrict abortion. Common in the The National
Abortion Federation, a professional association for abortionists, admits:
“In the developing world menstrual regulation persists as a crucial strategy
to circumvent anti-abortion laws. In According
to the UN listing of abortion policies for Bangladesh: “No approval is required in the case of
menstrual regulation, as the procedure is considered a family planning method
rather than an abortive technique. Menstrual regulation may be performed,
within eight weeks of the last menstrual period, by non physicians on an
out-patient basis.” The Bangladeshi government also refers to the
procedure as “an interim method for establishing non-pregnancy” and trains
women called “family welfare visitors” to perform abortions up to eight weeks of pregnancy in rural family care
centers. All
countries that protect women and unborn children from the violence of
abortion must be alert to this pro-abortion tactic that allows nurses and
midwives to perform abortion as “menstrual regulation”. With the increased availability of uterine
contracting medications for abortion such as Misoprostol/ Cytotec it can be
expected these abortion pills will also be used for “menstrual regulation” to
bypass pro-life laws on abortion. International Pro-Life Actions President Yoweri
Museveni has recognized the importance of a growing population in order
to achieve economic transformation for "What
we need to do is to educate our children, give them skills and create an
enabling environment for employment and job creation. That way, we shall
create wealth, make savings and Ugandans will invest and spur economic
productivity and growth," he added. PNCI applauds President Museveni for
his vision in seeking life-affirming solutions to development and
sustainability. International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Re-Naming
Abortion to Make It Less “Uncomfortable” A Nigerian
parliamentarian has asked the pro-abortion community to “find an
alternative name for abortion” since the word “abortion” makes people
including lawmakers “uncomfortable.” Saadatu Sani, chairman of the House of
Representatives Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) made her
plea at a dinner hosted by pro-abortion NGO, Ipas, the marketer of the
hand-held abortion device. Abortion in CEDAW
Experts Push on Abortion Recent country
reviews by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) again featured an emphasis on national abortion laws. The nations
of Legislative News Brazilian
Deputies Again Overwhelmingly Defeat Abortion Legislation Legislation
to legalize abortion in A consolidation of reproductive health bills known
as "An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive
Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population
Development, and For Other Purposes" will soon be
considered in the Filipino Congress.
The legislation would create a new entity, the Commission on
Population, which would institutionalize population control including
artificial birth control, sex education and a two child per couple birth
limitation. It is feared that the measure will lead to legalized
abortion. The Catholic Church is
leading opposition to the bill and Speaker Prospero Nograles states that the
fate of the bill is uncertain and remains “anybody’s ballgame”. US:
House Condemns Forced Abortion in The
U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously voted to condemn human rights
abuses in Smith
continued, “ As a direct result of the government’s one child policy, tens of
millions of girls are missing today—dead due to sex selection
abortions—creating a huge gender disparity. The lost girls of The Constituent
Assembly, a special assembly elected to draft a new constitution in
A proposal to legalize assisted
suicide has been introduced and is set for debate to allow the Executive News A new initiative
soon to be issued by the Bush Administration would further protect the
conscientious objection of health professionals from discrimination in the
workplace. The new rules would require all health facilities receiving
federal funds to sign “written certifications,” ensuring that health
professionals who object to abortion and abortifacients will not suffer
professionally because of their moral and/or religious beliefs. Institutions
that fail to comply with the anti-discrimination rules will lose their
federal funding. Pro-abortion groups
are strongly protesting the proposal. The
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has again
issued guidelines intended to clarify when abortion is legal in German
Chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out in very strong language against
assisted suicide. She stated that she
is against “every form of assisted suicide”, regardless of the circumstances.
Judicial News The
case of three women challenging Ireland’s pro-life laws is going to be
heard by the European Court of Human Rights.
The women claim their rights were violated when they had to travel out
of the country to procure an abortion. The Irish Family Planning Association
has orchestrated the case, making it part of its strategy to bring legalized
abortion to Issues Self-Induced
Abortion Just a Click Away Self-induced
abortion is a growing and alarming trend, made even more so with the availability of
dangerous abortion pills online on sites such as Women on Web. The
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published review of clients
found that of 400 women, 11% needed to procure a surgical abortion following
use of the medication. Not only
illegal, this puts women’s health and lives at risk. Women on Web is
distributing abortion drugs online primarily to countries that prohibit
abortion. Media
Used as an Abortion Tool The UK’s
Guardian newspaper, in a clearly biased pro-abortion action,
recently announced the 16 finalists in its journalism contest for articles on
key development issues surrounding
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The
topics, winning articles, and sponsors of the contest reveal the pro-abortion
bias of the contest and is another example of pro-abortion efforts to
manipulate the news to advance their abortion agenda. Sponsors of the contest include Marie
Stopes International and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), both leading
pro-abortion advocates in developing countries. The so-called “balanced” contest listed a number of subjects
contestants could choose from including Safe and Unsafe Abortion. Two of the
professional finalists wrote about abortion in pro-life countries in The finalists will travel with
Marie Stopes to research and write in-depth newspaper feature articles to be
published next November. Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary network e-news Recent news on laws and policies
affecting the culture of life |
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August 29, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 8 |
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Contents International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Deceit behind the Term “Reproductive Health” Explained Ipas Acknowledges Abortion Included in Reproductive Health CEDAW Committee Members Continue Pro-Abortion Pressure: Legislative News Guatemalan Lawmakers Pledge to Protect the Unborn Executive News Judicial News Supreme Court in Brazilian Supreme Court to Rule on Abortion Exception Issues Prenatal
Testing Results in Abortion of 84% of Down Syndrome Babies |
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International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Deceit
behind the Term “Reproductive Health” Explained A
Peruvian expert on sexuality and the family has highlighted the deceptive use of
“reproductive health” to promote abortion. Rene Flores explained the term emerged from
the 1994 World Conference on Population and Development, and has since come
to be used by leaders and parliaments around the world. Included in the
umbrella meaning of “reproductive health” are the issues of abortion,
emergency contraception, and forced sterilization. The passage of
“reproductive health” initiatives into laws and policies are intended to “…
give social and legal legitimacy to the idea of ‘reproductive health’,” Ipas
Acknowledges Abortion Included in Reproductive Health At
the 2008 International AIDS Conference this month in CEDAW
Committee Members Continue Pro-Abortion Pressure: Many
countries which respect the lives of unborn children face pressure from the
members of the committee, referred to as “experts”, overseeing the Convention
on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). A recent survey
of the committee revealed that half of the private citizens serving on CEDAW
committee have direct associations and in some cases employment with radical
NGOs including the Latin America and Caribbean
Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights, the International Council of
Women, the Global Fund for Women, and the International Women’s Rights Action
Watch (IWRAW). The twenty-three committee members come from Betty Gibson of
the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
(SPUC) states that the CEDAW committee is overreaching its mandate and
violating other UN documents: "Nowhere in the treaty is abortion
mentioned," Gibson says. "The UN Declaration on the Rights of the
Child recognizes that 'the child, by reason of his physical and mental
immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal
protection, before as well as after birth.'" She continued, "The law in Bernadette
Smyth of the Legislative News Legislation
before the Kenyan Parliament seeks to legalize abortion on demand in The Lithuanian
Parliament is considering legislation to protect unborn babies from the
violence of abortion. The drafted law,
called the Act of the Guatemalan Lawmakers Pledge to Protect the
Unborn 71
Guatemalan lawmakers, under the leadership of the President of the Congress, signed the Book of
Life, affirming their commitment to defend life from conception to
natural death. Abortion advocates protested outside during the ceremony,
which was attended by Catholic and Evangelical leaders and the Congressional
Board of Directors. The Book of Life
initiative, which raises awareness of the importance of protecting life,
began in Executive News Vietnam’s
Ministry of Health has enacted stronger measures to combat the practice of
gender selection of unborn babies.
Health departments across the country are being asked to cooperate with
the new initiative, which includes fines for the use of ultrasound, or other
tests to determine a baby’s gender. Judicial News Supreme
Court in Eight
of the eleven justices serving the on the Supreme Court of
Mexico have ruled that the Mexico City law legalizing abortion up to the 12th
week of pregnancy is constitutional. This decision sustains the
pro-abortion law passed by the socialist majority of the Parliamentarians
of the socialist Party of the Democratic Revolution in the national Chamber
of Deputies are predicting that this ruling will open the way to legalization
in all of Brazilian
Supreme Court to Rule on Abortion Exception Brazil’s Supreme
Court will rule this month on the legalization of abortion in cases of
anencephaly. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, evangelical
leaders, and pro-life groups will present arguments against the change, which
is advocated by abortion proponent Catholics for a Free Choice and others.
Incredibly, Chief Justice Marco Aurelio Mello has not requested the
participation of parents of anencephalic babies. Baby Marcela de Jesus
Ferreira, who recently died from a complication of pneumonia, survived for 20
months with the birth defect. The hearings began August 26th and
will continue through September 4, 2008. Issues Prenatal
Testing Results in Abortion of 84% of Down Syndrome Babies A Norwegian
study has found that 84% of Down Syndrome babies are aborted, and that the
prenatal detection used to determine the presence of trisomy 21 (Down
Syndrome) is often inaccurate. The study conducted by the Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary network e-news
Recent news on laws and policies affecting the culture of life |
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september 30, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 9 |
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Contents International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws International Planned Parenthood Federation Issues New
“Toolkit” World Health Organization to Re-Focus on Primary Health Care,
Encourages Its Use for Abortion African Parliamentary Committees Meet to Discuss Reproductive
Health Including Misoprostol Use Legislative News Executive News Judicial News Judge in Issues Down Syndrome Abortion Rate Hits 90 Percent—Pro-Life Group
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International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws International
Planned Parenthood Federation Issues New “Toolkit” International
Planned Parenthood Federation has a new “toolkit” for its affiliates in
countries around the world. The intent
of the guide is to offer ideas, strategies and worksheets to increase access
to abortion. Entitled “Access
to Safe Abortion: A Tool for Assessing Legal and Other Obstacles” the
document is meant to be used in conjunction with pro-abortion legal experts
who will help evaluate legal conditions for abortion and ways to access
abortion in individual countries. The
document is a must read as it contains information on regulations and
procedures which impede or block access to abortion and inadvertently
provides pro-life policy makers with practical ideas for restricting
abortion. It also includes a useful treaty reference guide and definition of
treaty terms as well as a section on International and Regional Human Rights
Instruments that seeks to analyze a country’s commitment to international
treaties reviewing its submitted reservations on “sexual and reproductive
health and rights.” World
Health Organization to Re-Focus on Primary Health Care, Encourages Its Use
for Abortion International
Planned Parenthood reports that Margaret Chan, the new head of the World
Health Organization (WHO), has announced a renewed effort to improve health
and help nations meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by focusing
on primary health care to reduce maternal and infant mortality among
concerns. Chan says that improved health care will enable health systems to
tackle a wider range of needs instead of concentrating on select health
issues such as HIV/AIDS. The
entire plan will be released next month. Recent tactics by abortion activists
have centered on use of the expression “integration” of abortion with primary
health care to increase the availability of abortion. The full context of
primary health care under this re-focus remains to be seen. The “wider
range of needs” is likely to include a greater emphasis on providing greater
access to abortion services wherever possible. In fact, in the WHO document,
“Safe
Abortion: Technical and Policy Guidance for Health Systems,” the use of
primary health care centers is encouraged as a way to make abortions via the
use the hand held abortion device and/or abortion pills more available. African
Parliamentary Committees Meet to Discuss Reproductive Health Including
Misoprostol Use A recent regional
meeting of parliamentary committees on health in eastern and southern
African countries featured discussions about the licensing and use of
misoprostol. The meeting was organized by Equinet Africa, a consortium that
combines organizations in the region with international NGOs, and which works
with and/or receives funding from the WHO, UNAIDS, SIDA, and Rockefeller
Foundation, among others. The meeting’s participants included parliamentary
groups who are a part of SEAPACOH, an alliance of parliamentary committees on
health in east and southern Speaking
of the government of
Uganda’s recent approval of the drug misoprostol for post-partum
hemorrhage, Ugandan Health Minister, Dr. Stephen Mallinga explained the
government’s decision to meeting’s participants: "It will help stop
post-partum haemorrhage in mothers. It has other uses but we shall limit it to
management of bleeding and induction." Misoprostol can induce abortion
and is being used by pro-abortion groups as a way to circumvent pro-life
laws. Legislative News Arguments supporting
abortion legalization in the Kenyan press mimic those of pro-abortion
advocates and include the claim that legalization of abortion is needed to
meet obligations on reproductive and sexual health: “Kenya is also obliged
under its international commitments to improve its reproductive and sexual
health services in order to reduce the maternal and infant mortality in
accordance with the Millennium Development Goals. The Maputo Protocol adopted
by heads of state and government of the African Union in its 2003 summit in The
abortion bill is receiving a great deal of opposition, particularly from
religious and cultural leaders, who acknowledge that abortion is not the
solution to curbing maternal deaths. Both Muslim and
Catholic leaders have urged Members of Parliament to oppose the bill,
stressing that legalized abortion goes against religious and human
norms. Chief Kadhi Shiekh Hammad
Kassim stated, "This law is clearly against the teachings of Islam and
our (Muslim) MPs have an obligation to ensure that it is not passed." This
month in The Chamber of Deputies unanimously
approved new legislation on adoption that contains provisions to help protect
the lives of indigenous children at risk of infanticide. The socialist
government had blocked consideration of Muwaji’s Law which directly
confronted the horrendous cultural practice of infanticide for newborns
considered “unfit”. Advocates for the lives of indigenous children are
celebrating because the legislation provides them for the first time with the
legal right to intercede to save and protect the lives of endangered
children. It is also significant because for the first time the practice of infanticide
among the indigenous tribes is acknowledged as a social problem. The
legislation must now go to the Senate and then to President Lula for his
signature. The Human and Minorities Rights Commission will hold a public
forum in October to debate the theme of the documentary “Hakani” which
depicts the horrors of cultural practices including the alive burial of a two
year old girl named Hakani afflicted with a treatable developmental disorder. Executive News Judicial News Judge
in A family court judge
has ruled that a 12 year old girl who was the victim of rape cannot be
forced to have an abortion. The girl told the judge she wished to keep the
baby but her mother requested the abortion for her daughter citing mental
health concerns. Judge German Ferrer
announced measures to protect the girl and her baby and stated, “The fetus a
developing person.” The
girl’s grandmother was appointed guardian; she also did not want the girl,
who was violated by her step-father, to undergo the abortion. The judge insisted that the girl continue
her education and be provided with housing, psychiatric and psychological
care, groceries and assistance with other expenses. While the mother claimed
the girl was experiencing mental problems as a result of the pregnancy the
judge ruled that “after analyzing the entire situation, it was clear that” an
abortion “could have induced a severe personality disorder, due to
irreversible psychiatric pathologies such as psychosis.” Issues The Peruvian government’s
birthing house initiative provides an innovative solution to maternal
mortality and addresses a root cause of maternal death. Begun in 2004, this
program creates birthing homes where indigenous women come to give birth with
their families, maintaining cultural traditions, while also under medical
supervision. The leading cause of maternal death among the indigenous women
is hemorrhage after childbirth, a condition which can be treated with
adequate medical care. This program is a start to reducing the rate of
maternal deaths and is beginning to see increased numbers of women giving
birth in medical centers. Former Health Minister Honorable Fernando Carbone
cautions that prenatal care, pregnancy monitoring and the identification of
pregnant women are also needed in order to ensure that the women receive
optimal health care and maternal deaths are reduced. Cultural challenges
remain, but this initiative is a step forward in the process of saving
lives. Physicians in India
have launched the National Eclampsia Registry, giving eclampsia and
pre-eclampsia, a leading cause of maternal death, much needed attention.
Eclampsia (and its precursor pre-eclampisa) is a complication of pregnancy
characterized by elevated blood pressure that, if left untreated, can lead to
convulsions and death of the mother and unborn child. Intended to raise
awareness of the treatable condition, the registry will include periodic
workshops and public education programs. Similar programs are said to have
helped improve eclampsia-related complications in Down
Syndrome Abortion Rate Hits 90 Percent— Pro-Life Group Responds Increased
prenatal testing has resulted in a 90 percent abortion rate
of Down syndrome babies. These numbers are expected to rise following the
recommendation by the Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax: 703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary
network e-news
Recent news on laws and policies affecting the culture of life |
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October 31, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 10 |
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Contents International Pressure to Change Pro-Life Laws Pro-Abortion NGO: What to Expect from a Pro-Abortion US
President New Pro-Abortion Legal Strategy Declares Abortion Advocates
and Abortionists Are Human Rights Defenders Pro-life Actions Legislative News Issues |
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International Pressure to Change
Pro-Life Laws Pro-Abortion NGO: What to Expect from a Pro-Abortion US
President A policy paper from US NGO, Center for
Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), presents a very dire outlook
for The
report is critical of President Bush’s strong pro-life policies and
restrictions and presents changes to integrate the wide spectrum of
reproductive health and services— including abortion— into The
paper states, “Sexual and reproductive health and rights advocates know that
with a friendlier administration, we will be able to correct and eliminate
restrictions on The
recommendations include funding for organizations (especially small, local
organizations) that have an integrated program linking HIV prevention,
population control, and maternal health. Such an approach would deny funding
to faith based organizations and others that do not offer ‘the full range of
services.’ The
paper suggests that the In
closing, the paper states, “The time for the New
Pro-Abortion Legal Strategy Declares Abortion Advocates and Abortionists Are
Human Rights Defenders Pro-abortion
legal organizations including the Center
for Reproductive Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty
International are pursuing a new abortion tactic that declares both
abortion advocates and abortionists are “human rights defenders.” This
convoluted argument falsely interprets the 1999 UN
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. A
non-binding thematic hearing on the topic Risks and vulnerabilities
affecting defenders of women’s rights in the Americas was recently held
by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the request of the
Center, Human Rights Watch, , CLADEM (radical
feminist group in Latin America and the Caribbean) and MULABI (an NGO
advocating for “gender rights”.) This latest action is another example of
pro-abortion attempt to use the OAS Commission to advance their agenda. The
CLADEM representative asked for "special protection measures" to be
issued by the Commission on behalf of abortion activists in Pro-life Actions First Lady of Uganda,
Janet Museveni, has demanded abortion performing Marie Stopes
International explains its activities in the country. Alerted to Marie
Stopes’ promotion and administration of abortion in The United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) recently issued a directive ending US
funding to Marie Stopes International (MSI) population control programs
in a number of African countries including: Legislative News The UK House of
Commons has passed the highly controversial Human Fertilization and
Embryology (HFE) bill. The legislation, which will permit the creation and
destruction of cloned embryos, passed by a vote of 355-129. Society for the
Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) national director John Smeaton
called the passage “tragic” saying, “Future generations will look back on
this macabre bill and wonder how a supposedly civilised nation could have so
devalued human life.” The
final passage of the bill did not include any changes to the The
passage of the HFE bill without any amendments to extend the UK Abortion Act
to Victoria,
Australia’s Upper House of Parliament has voted to legalize abortion-on-demand
for up to 24
weeks gestation. The bill, which passed by a vote of 23 to 17, failed to
include provisions that protect the conscience rights of physicians.
Catholic Health Australia (CHA), which operates 15 hospitals in the state
issued a statement declaring their inability to cooperate with the new law
and, threatening legal action, warns that forcing doctors to act against
their conscience violates the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
Act 2006. The Lithuanian
parliament is currently considering a bill to ban abortion. The Draft Act
of the The Mexican states of Sonora and Baja
California have
passed constitutional amendments protecting life. Following the Supreme Court’s decision affirming the
constitutionality of the legalization of abortion, the pro-abortion Social
Democratic Party has called on legislators to pass laws legalizing abortion and announced 28 different
legislatures would be introducing initiatives to legalize abortion. The
National Action Party (PAN) is blocking pro-abortion action on the national
level and in some states. “We are against initiatives to depenalize abortion,
I insist, because we defend life and because we feel that that is not the way
to address problems,” said PAN representative Javier Ponce. Issues Doctors
in India charge that the morning-after pill, made available
over-the-counter in 2005, is being misused. The mass-produced and inexpensive
“i-pill” as it is known, is readily available and often used on a dangerous
regular basis by young people, some taking it 5-6 times a month. Many risks
and side-effects of the morning-after pill require medical supervision and
attention, yet without any regulation of the drug, women- often young women-
are ignorant of these facts. In
August 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed over the counter
sales of the drug but limited its use to women over 18 due to concerns that
medical supervision is needed when taking the pill.
Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax:
703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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Parliamentary
network e-news
Recent news on laws and policies affecting the culture of life |
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November 26, 2008 |
Volume
2, Number 11 |
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Contents Focus on the View from PNCI View from Focus on Legislative News Executive Judicial Issues |
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Focus on the View
from PNCI The election of Barack Obama as the next president of the It is expected that international organizations that perform or
promote abortion will once again receive US funding and the There will be a stark difference on social issues compared to
President Bush who sought to advance a culture of life. PNCI commits
itself and urges its pro-life colleagues worldwide to work harder, smarter,
and more effectively as together we confront new and greater challenges to
laws and policies that protect unborn children and their mothers from the
violence of abortion. – View
from The head of the Catholic Doctors’ Association of Kenya, Dr. Stephen
Karanja, fears the election of Barack Obama
because of Obama’s pro-abortion and anti-family positions. (Obama’s father
was born in Instead Karanja suggests the He believes that the “one thing” many Kenyans fear from the
Obama administration is the renewal of the attacks on the family and the
unborn. “The only resource we have that is truly ours,” he said, “is our
people. Don’t attack them and we’ll be alright. And this administration of
Obama, is going to be a nightmare for our people.” Focus on Additionally,
Legislative News During a
Joint Select
Parliamentary Committee hearing on Executive Uruguay President TabareVazquez
has vetoed legislation to legalize abortion on demand in the first
trimester. The bill that would permit abortions for any reason during the
first 12 weeks of pregnancy recently passed both the House and Senate, but
does not have the support needed to override the veto. This is the second
time the president has vetoed legislation to legalize abortion. He stated:
"Our laws cannot ignore the reality of the existence of human life in
the gestation period, as scientific evidence clearly shows. It's more
appropriate to look for a solution based on solidarity, giving a woman the
freedom to make other choices and thereby save both her and the baby." Pro-life parliamentarians reacted with praise for
President Tabare Vazquez. In UK
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward has issued assurances against any
attempts to extend the El Salvador President Elias
Antonio Saca has
declared he will not sign the Ibero-American Convention on the Rights of
Youth (ICRY), claiming it would promote abortion and consequently violate Judicial A recent
Ipas release claims credit for the recent ruling by the Bolivian Supreme
Court ordering all lower courts to implement Article 266 of the Penal
Code, permitting abortion for the life and health of the mother and in cases
of rape or incest. The ongoing case before the European Court of Human
Rights challenging The Issues An Italian court
has ordered the death of a young disabled woman
by the removal of her food and hydration tube. Eluana Englaro, who has been
living in a hospice for 14 years, sustained severe injuries in a car accident
and is in a state of minimal consciousness. The religious order which runs the
hospice where Englaro resides, the
Sisters of Lecco, are refusing to carry out the court order. Javier Cardinal
Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral
Care, called the court’s decision inhuman. “The right to die does not exist.
To stop giving food and drink to Eluana is tantamount to committing murder.
It means letting her die of hunger and thirst, condemning her to a monstrous
end,” he said.
Parliamentary Network for
Critical Issues Phone: 703-433-2767 Fax:
703-433-2768 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. All
news articles include links to original source. PNCI cannot verify that the
information contained in the news articles is accurate. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list, please email: info@pncius.org. |
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