Argument Against Abortion
HUMAN RIGHTS ANOTHER
LOOK AT ABORTION
Beryl Holmes
President (1987-92)
Children by Choice Association, QLD
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SOMEWHERE between a quarter and half a million women die every year from illegal abortion (Short
1991). This is an 'epidemic ' of gigantic proportions. Usually great efforts are made to curb tragic and unnecessary deaths, such as those from smallpox, malaria and AIDS. It is surprising then that almost nothing has been done about this shocking worldwide tragedy of the deaths of so many women from backyard abortion. While the deaths from epidemics are accidentally caused, these deaths from abortion result from government policies.
This is in itself a statement about the current status of women …show more content…
This Convention, referred to as CEDAW was signed by Australia in 1980 and ratified in July 1983.
125
Women and the Law
The Convention is legally binding on ratifying countries.
Although several articles imply a right to abortion, Article 12 is most relevant.
Article 12
1.
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate all discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning.
2.
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article,
States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period, granting free services where necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
Abortion Law Reform: A Human Rights Issue
No country has approached abortion law reform as a basic human rights issue for women. Even in the USA through the high court ruling (Rowe v. Wade 1973), abortion was ruled to be a privacy issue (not a human rights …show more content…
She goes on to state that if this was happening to any other group of people it would be considered a gross violation of human rights.
Abortion is first and foremost a human rights and social justice issue. Social justice is not what is administered when all else fails, it is about full citizenship. It is a state of being. Rights are only rights when they can be exercised in an unfettered way.
It is therefore dictatorial, degrading and an insult to the intelligence of a woman to have the decision on whether she will become a mother imposed on her by law or by a panel, or a doctor, or a priest, then leave her to carry out the responsibility of that decision. Abortion is at least eleven times safer than childbirth. Now would any man accept that anyone could force him to take a course of action eleven times more dangerous to his life than the course he was prepared to take? There is no comparable field of human activity where such a decision is made on another 's behalf.
By July 1991, after eighteen months of government, the Labor government in
Queensland, has achieved or is in the process of reforming the laws in relation
LOOK AT ABORTION
Beryl Holmes
President (1987-92)
Children by Choice Association, QLD
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SOMEWHERE between a quarter and half a million women die every year from illegal abortion (Short
1991). This is an 'epidemic ' of gigantic proportions. Usually great efforts are made to curb tragic and unnecessary deaths, such as those from smallpox, malaria and AIDS. It is surprising then that almost nothing has been done about this shocking worldwide tragedy of the deaths of so many women from backyard abortion. While the deaths from epidemics are accidentally caused, these deaths from abortion result from government policies.
This is in itself a statement about the current status of women …show more content…
This Convention, referred to as CEDAW was signed by Australia in 1980 and ratified in July 1983.
125
Women and the Law
The Convention is legally binding on ratifying countries.
Although several articles imply a right to abortion, Article 12 is most relevant.
Article 12
1.
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate all discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning.
2.
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article,
States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period, granting free services where necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
Abortion Law Reform: A Human Rights Issue
No country has approached abortion law reform as a basic human rights issue for women. Even in the USA through the high court ruling (Rowe v. Wade 1973), abortion was ruled to be a privacy issue (not a human rights …show more content…
She goes on to state that if this was happening to any other group of people it would be considered a gross violation of human rights.
Abortion is first and foremost a human rights and social justice issue. Social justice is not what is administered when all else fails, it is about full citizenship. It is a state of being. Rights are only rights when they can be exercised in an unfettered way.
It is therefore dictatorial, degrading and an insult to the intelligence of a woman to have the decision on whether she will become a mother imposed on her by law or by a panel, or a doctor, or a priest, then leave her to carry out the responsibility of that decision. Abortion is at least eleven times safer than childbirth. Now would any man accept that anyone could force him to take a course of action eleven times more dangerous to his life than the course he was prepared to take? There is no comparable field of human activity where such a decision is made on another 's behalf.
By July 1991, after eighteen months of government, the Labor government in
Queensland, has achieved or is in the process of reforming the laws in relation