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Foetus Is Not a Human Being

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Foetus Is Not a Human Being
The issue regarding foetus as a human being is controversial among scholars. Two schools of thought have been postulated, some in support of a foetus as a person by giving biblical references (Psalms 139 verse 13-15) hence they regard foetus as a human being which falls under section 12 of the Zimbabwean constitution. A foetus has also been protected and included in article 6.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that it has the right to life and the right shall be protected by law and no one shall be arbitrarily be deprived of his life. However a band of scholars do not share this same argument of regarding a foetus as a human being and it will not fall under section 12 of the constitution. They regard foetus as a potential person not an actual person and freedom of a human being are given after birth. The debate remain hanging since section 12 of the constitution of Zimbabwe states that, no person shall be deprived of his life intentionally.
Foetus is regarded as a human being therefore it has the right of life according to section 12 of the constitution. To kill a foetus is to murder a human person. According to Pope Pius IX1869, he argued that a foetus is a human person from conception and therefore abortion is murder. This claim is supported by the fact that all necessary genetic material is present at conception and the foetus continues development from conception until born as a human being.
Taking Zimbabwe as a Christian country, biblically (Exodus 20:18), it stated that, “do not kill” which is a quotation used by many Christians in opposition of abortion. However this verse might seems as only applying to a “person” and the issue of when the foetus becomes a person crops up again. In response to this Christians went on to argue that the bible teaches that is a human as it is stated in (Jeremiah1:5) “before I formed you in the womb…when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there, you saw me before I was growing


References: Allen and Thompson, cases and materials on constitutional law,4th edition (1996) Chikanza and W Cosgrave. P, Carrington.A life and policy. (1985) Linning Marry Anne Warren (1991) Reynolds, D
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