United Nations Behind Push to Legalize Abortion
SANTIAGO, Chile, Oct 11 (LSN.ca) – In late September a coalition of leftist politicians proposed a law to open the door to abortion in Chile, one of the few remaining countries where unborn babies enjoy the full protection of the law. The Catholic Church in the predominantly Catholic country is aggressively fighting the move. Catholic leaders have noted that the push for reform comes in response to pressure from the United Nations.
Politicians Fanny Pollarolo (Socialist Party, PS), Maria Antonieta Saa (Party for Democracy, PPD), and Sen. Carlos Ominami (PS) proposed legislation that would “guarantee the freedom to enjoy sexuality as a source of personal development and happiness; the right to be sexual outside of the context of reproduction; the liberty to choose one’s sexual partners; the right to make unforced decisions about sexuality, autonomy and control over one’s own body; freedom from all forms of sexual abuse and violence; and the right to make free, informed and responsible decisions about whether or not to have children.” Under the law doctors and midwives would no longer be required to report to police evidence of the killing of an unborn child since reporting obligations for complications due to botched abortions would be dropped. Furthermore the law would allow for abortifacient “emergency contraceptives” to be “guaranteed” for rape victims.
“This is the kind of legislative proposal we have been expecting,” said Catholic Church leader Father Jaime Fernandez Montero, head of the Church’s Vicaria de las Familia. “It comes from the ‘Beijing+5’ summit discussions … and responds to a general line of thought that opens the road to disguised abortion, no doubt about it.”
The bill’s sponsors hope to obtain the support of the Chilean Minister of National Women’s Services and Education Minister before sending the bill to the Chamber of Deputies. They expect success in their endeavour.
(with files from the Santiago Times, 10/2).