Geneva Monday 20th May, meeting with James Reilly
attending the World Health Assembly as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU.
ELN’s Patrick Buckley approached Minister Reilly and following introductions appealed
to him to reconsider his position on abortion.Minister Reilly was presented with information on the right to life of the unborn and the consequences of abortion for women's health.
When his officials realised he was being lobbied on the abortion
issue they hastily intervened and rushed him away saying that he was already
late for a meeting.
The information given to Minister Reilly on the right to
life confirmed the scientific fact a new human life begins at conception and is
a continuum advancing through all stages until natural death and that at all
points of development each individual is a living member of the human species homo sapiens.- That from conception each unborn child is by nature a human being and as a member of the human family is entitled to recognition of his/her inherent dignity and to protection of his/her inalienable human rights which are recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international instruments.
- That justice requires that governments protect the basic rights of every member of the human family and that the law should therefore protect unborn human beings just as it protects each of us. Any policy that permits the killing of unborn children is gravely unjust.
The information given to Minister Reilly on the consequences
of abortion for women's health, confirmed that there is no such right as a right to abortion
under international law, either by way of treaty obligation or under customary
international law.
- That evidence shows that legalizing abortion usually increases the number of abortions that occur. In the United States, the number of abortions rose from an estimated 98,000 per year to a peak of 1.6 million following total legalization in 1973 and that more than 54 million abortions have been performed in the US since that time.
- That abortion—even in countries with excellent maternal health care—poses serious risks to women, which are well documented.
- That possible physical complications of surgical abortion include hemorrhage, infection, cervical laceration, and uterine perforation. non-surgical or chemical (ru486) abortion can cause severe pain, cramping, nausea, hemorrhage, infection, and incomplete abortion.
- That these complications are sometimes so serious they result in the death of the mother.
- That the possible long-term effects of abortion include sterility, miscarriage, premature birth, an increased risk of breast cancer, and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, which can lead to death if not treated promptly.
- That abortion can also have numerous psycho- social consequences, including grief, depression, drug abuse, and relationship problems. Many women (and men) now regret their decision to have or participate in an abortion.
