Posted on 10/07/2010 9:01:29 PM PDT by GonzoII
Thursday October 7, 2010Breakthrough: Pro-life Lobby Soundly Defeats EU Attack on Conscience in Dramatic Reversal
By Hilary White ROME, October 7, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) An attempt to erase the conscience rights of EU health care workers has been soundly defeated at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) this evening. In a vote of 56 to 51, the PACE rejected the proposal of Christine McCafferty, a British politician and abortion activist, to regulate conscientious objectors to abortion across Europe. The McCafferty Report, titled Womens access to lawful medical care: the problem of unregulated use of conscientious objection, had been identified by pro-life advocates as the latest in a string of EU and PACE efforts to establish abortion as a universal human right. As of tonight, Resolution 1763, re-titled The right to conscientious objection in lawful medical care, instead of creating a requirement for doctors to participate in abortion, actually affirms their right to refuse. The provisional edition published tonight reads, No person, hospital or institution shall be coerced, held liable or discriminated against in any manner because of a refusal to perform, accommodate, assist or submit to an abortion, the performance of a human miscarriage, or euthanasia or any act which could cause the death of a human foetus or embryo, for any reason. Irish senator Ronan Mullen and Luca Volonte of Italy, led the assembly in passing a series of amendments which totally reversed the thrust of the report. The changes forced McCafferty and other pro-abortion Assembly members to vote against their own proposal. Sophia Kuby, a pro-life advocate and head of the group European Dignity Watch that has been lobbying hard against the McCafferty Report, told LifeSiteNews.com tonight that the surprise turn-around is a victory for common sense and for freedom and a great victory for Europe. Europe has made clear tonight that freedom of conscience constitutes a pillar of a democratic society that needs to be defended, at times also against a radical minority that wishes to limit freedom and impose a unique pro-abortion thinking in Europe, Kuby said. The Resolutions second paragraph affirms the universal right to freedom of conscience, saying, The Parliamentary Assembly emphasizes the need to affirm the right of conscientious objection together with the responsibility of the state to ensure that patients are able to access lawful medical care in a timely manner. It says that the PACE is concerned that the unregulated use of conscientious objection may affect low income women or those living in rural areas, but went on to affirm that in the vast majority of Council of Europe member states, the practice of conscientious objection is adequately regulated. It invites the 47 member states to develop comprehensive and clear regulations that protect the right to freedom of conscience. Anthony Ozimic, communications manager for the London-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children said, This evening witnessed an incredible victory for the right of staff in medical institutions to refuse to be complicit in the killing of unborn children and other unethical practices. SPUC is immensely grateful to the large number of our supporters who lobbied the assembly in recent months, as well as to Senator Mullen, Mr. Volonte and the assembly-members who supported them. |
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Resolution 1763 (2010)[1]
1. No person, hospital or institution shall be coerced, held liable or discriminated against in any manner because of a refusal to perform, accommodate, assist or submit to an abortion, the performance of a human miscarriage, or euthanasia or any act which could cause the death of a human foetus or embryo, for any reason.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly emphasises the need to affirm the right of conscientious objection together with the responsibility of the state to ensure that patients are able to access lawful medical care in a timely manner. The Assembly is concerned that the unregulated use of conscientious objection may disproportionately affect women, notably those having low incomes or living in rural areas.
3. In the vast majority of Council of Europe member states, the practice of conscientious objection is adequately regulated. There is a comprehensive and clear legal and policy framework governing the practice of conscientious objection by healthcare providers ensuring that the interests and rights of individuals seeking legal medical services are respected, protected and fulfilled.
4. In view of member states' obligation to ensure access to lawful medical care and to protect the right to health, as well as the obligation to ensure respect for the right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion of healthcare providers, the Assembly invites Council of Europe member states to develop comprehensive and clear regulations that define and regulate conscientious objection with regard to health and medical services, which:
4.1. guarantee the right to conscientious objection in relation to participation in the procedure in question;
4.2. ensure that patients are informed of any objection in a timely manner and referred to another healthcare provider;
4.3. ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment, in particular in cases of emergency.
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[1] Assembly debate on 7 October 2010 (35th Sitting) (see Doc. 12347, report of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee, rapporteur: Mrs McCafferty, and Doc. 12389, opinion of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, rapporteur: Mrs Circene). Text adopted by the Assembly on 7 October 2010 (35th Sitting).
Hallelujah!
56 to 51 votes doesn’t seem like “soundly defeated” to me as the writer says....
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