Congressman Alejandro Muñante, one of the spokespersons for the Life and Family caucus in Peru, on Nov 12 told ACI Prensa, that the fundamental purpose of the law was "to consolidate the right to life from conception, which is already established in our constitution and in the Civil Code and the Children and Adolescents Code."

The lawmaker explained that for the drafting of this law, "the need was seen to be able to develop and detail a list of rights that our constitution precisely seeks to protect from conception."

According to Article 2 of the country's Magna Carta, in Peru, "the conceived child is a subject of law in everything that favours him or her."

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However, they look forward to contributing to what they hoped would be an honest, respectful dialogue that explored the complexities surrounding abortion.

The Bishops hear about abortion from a wide community of Catholic women and men said Cynthia Piper, speaking on behalf of the Bishops Conference.

"They are also informed by the work of Catholic agencies who support the well-being of women and families,"

Piper said, "We will be looking closely at the proposed new law and studying the other proposed changes concerning doctors' freedom of conscience, the ready availability and desirability of counselling for women and the suggestion of safe zones around abortion facilities.

The Bishops issued a press release which makes the following points:

Making abortions easier to get does not address serious underlying issues.

There needs to be a stronger focus on strengthening and extending policies and organisations that support women who are pregnant.

It is an acknowledged fact that, too often, a woman chooses abortion because of poverty, social shaming, lack of community support, coercion from a partner or family or isolation.

Insufficient protection for a defenceless human life

• For society to pretend that there is not another life involved will only deny the woman concerned the chance to deal with her abortion as the significant and heart-wrenching moral issue that it is
• Abortion is both a justice issue and a health issue

The Bishops:

• Strongly support statutory recognition in the present law to the rights of the unborn
• Are concerned that the proposed new law seeks to do away with any ‘tests' for women up to 20 weeks gestation
• Are disquieted that there is only a very vague ‘medical test' for women who are more than 20 weeks pregnant

A disservice to women

• The issues raised by abortion are many and they include both the immediate and long-term psychological, mental and emotional consequences of abortion
• These consequences affect both women and men and impact on their other significant relationships

Source

• Supplied Ko te Huinga Pihopa o te Hahi Katorika o Aotearoa/The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC)
• Image: righttolife.org

The child was born in 1995, seven months after his mother married a man who was not his father.

The mother and stepfather died in a car accident in April 2000 when the child, who has special needs because of an intellectual disability, was 4 years old.

Both made wills at the time of their wedding that provided for the child's half-brother, the mother's son from a previous relationship, who was 10 at the time of the wedding.

The younger child was not provided for in the couple's wills, but had a claim under the Family Protection Act out of his mother's estate, valued at $1,800,000. Continue reading

In August, a senior paediatrician, Dr Vili Sotutu, resigned in protest against abortions, but was later re-employed after discussions with hospital authorities.

Orr says "Right to Life applauds the doctors and nurses of the Southland Hospital for refusing to be involved in the killing of unborn at the Hospital. They have upheld the sanctity of life of every unborn child and opposed a culture of death."

According to a FairfaxMedia report, to protect the identity of the staff "The Southland District Health Board would not say whether the clinic's staff were from the area, or were travelling from other regions."

The report says "Anti-abortion group Southlanders for Life is vowing to step up protests outside the clinic, and to "name-and-shame" medical staff. Pro life group Southlanders for Life is planning protests outside the clinic, and to 'name-and-shame' medical staff."

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Right to Life Media Release
• Image: Pro-Life New Zealand