European Parliament stands for human dignity

From the European Dignity Watch, a non-governmental and non-profit organization based in Europe’s capital Brussels.

The European Dignity Watch Network is composed of national and international non-governmental organisations, opinion makers, experts and interested individuals who work on safeguarding an environment in which the human person can flourish.

Belgium, Bruxelles – Brussel, European Parliament. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Tuesday 22 October, the EU-Parliament voted on a Report on Sexual  and Reproductive Health and Rights claiming a fundamental right to abortion that aims at politically neutralize the European Citizen Initiative “One of Us“. The resolution also calls for an improvement of State regulation to limit the exercise of the freedom of religions, conscience and conscientious objection.

It calls for an EU wide compulsory sex education in primary schools “provided in a taboo-free interactive atmosphere between students and educators” and must convey a positive image of homosexuality. The 40-pages resolution reads like a manual on how to restrict fundamental freedoms in Europe. MEPs must vote therefore to adopt the Motion for an Alternative Resolution.

As reaction to the popular success of the European Citizen Initiative “One of Us” on the implementation of EU case law C-34/10 – stating that the human being starts with conception and that the human embryo represents a precise stage of development of the human body, its human dignity is protected by the relevant legal instruments -, the EU-Parliament voted, Tuesday 22 October, in Strasbourg one week before the deadline of “One of Us”, one of the most successful citizen campaigns in recent European history, on a resolution promoting free and safe abortion for all (Estrela report A7-0306/2013).

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In a loud and lively debate that is not often seen in this intensity at the European Parliament, a majority of MEPs voted for a referral back to committee of the highly controversial Estrela report on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. European Dignity Watch reported.

After the voting was complete, 351 MEPs voted to send the pro-abortion bill back to committee while 319 voted against the move to zap the legislation.

Reproductive Health Ribbon (Photo credit: Jason Licerio)

Although an alternative resolution, which sought to promote a dignified vision of maternal health, protect freedom of conscience and healthy sexual education for children, was not adopted, it is called a great victory that the report has not been adopted and Pro-lifers in the European Parliament scored a major victory.

A referral back to committee will give time to investigate further the numerous problematic points of this report, especially the fact that it was co-written by the commercial abortion organisation International Planned Parenthood Federation in Brussels.

In the weeks leading up to the vote today, there has been growing awareness among MEPs of the deep problems related to an understanding of sexual and reproductive health that puts hypersexualisation of children from the earliest age on, a ‘right to abortion’ for all and a severe limitation of freedom of conscience at its centre.

Tuesday, Parliament has sent a clear signal that this radical approach is not shared by the majority.

“We are very happy that not only Parliament came to its senses today with regards to sexual and reprductive health, but also that the voice of 1.4 Million citizens who signed the European Citizen Initiative “One of Us” for a greater protection of human dignity are heard and represented in today’s decision”, says executive director of European Dignity Watch, Sophia Kuby.

S&D Euro MP Edite Estrela (Portugal), who drafted the resolution, said after the vote that Conservative MEPs wanted to “set women’s rights back 30 years”.

“I deeply regret the decision taken today. On several occasions, this Parliament has recognised the right for everyone to make their own informed and responsible choices on their sexual and reproductive life,” she said.

“The draft resolution was approved by the women’s committee with a strong majority of 17 votes in favour, 7 abstentions and 7 against. By not respecting the outcome of the vote in parliamentary committee, the conservatives want to set women’s rights back 30 years.”

Pavan Dhaliwal, BHA Head of Public Affairs, commented

‘This is an excellent report which aims to ensure that young people across Europe are entitled to decent and age-appropriate SRE, that women can access safe and legal abortion services, and which pushes to strengthen LGBTI rights. Unfortunately, its progress has been stalled by yesterday’s vote because socially conservative religious groups have been frantically lobbying MEPs to reject it. These socially conservative groups wish to deny women, LGBTI people, and young people in general their right to access sexual and reproductive health services, and their right to decent Sex and Relationships Education. They are trying to hold back the advances in human rights and personal freedoms which have taken place in Europe over the past few decades, and they are fighting a losing battle.’

Roger Kiska with the Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF said earlier:

“The European Parliament’s proposed resolution is an affront to national sovereignty, a breach of their duty to the citizens of the European Union and worst of all an unsolicited attack on innocent human life.

The notion that abortion on demand could be declared a human right flies in the face of the facts. In reality, it is a “clear” violation of real human rights.

Pro-life and pro-family organizations are on the rise, but pro-abortion forces are still strong within government institutions and the European Parliament.

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Find also:

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality – Report on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2013-306&language=EN

MEPs who voted for and against sending the Report back to the Committee: http://www.lgbt-ep.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/RCV-Vote-on-referral-back-to-FEMM.pdf

Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on PSHE and Sex and Relationships Education: http://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/school-curriculum/pshe-and-sex-and-relationships-education/

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