AFRICA/UGANDA - “No to legalised abortion with the ratification of Maputo protocol” say Catholic Bishops of Uganda

Thursday, 26 January 2006

Kampala (Fides Service) - The Catholic Bishops of Uganda have expressed firm opposition to the introduction in national law of the right to abortion contained in the “Protocol to the African charter on Human and Peoples' Rights: on the rights of women in Africa” (also known as the Maputo Protocol) adopted by the second ordinary Session of the African Union on 11 July 2003. The Protocol of Maputo has yet to be ratified by the Ugandan parliament. This is why on 19 January the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Uganda published an “Open letter to the government and the people of Uganda on the ratification of the “Protocol to the African charter on Human and Peoples' Rights: on the rights of women in Africa”.
The ratification of this protocol by a country introduces into the national law of that country the right to abortion. The Bishops write - “Under the title "Health and reproductive rights" we read: The Stated Parties shall & "protect the reproductive rights of women by authorising medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the foetus." (Art 14.2.c)”.
“To date, 16 African countries have ratified this protocol - write the Bishops - We wonder how many of the citizens of these 16 African Countries are aware of the decision of their legislators. We also wonder if the same African citizens are aware that the African Union, with this protocol, has introduced the first human rights instrument to expressly articulate a woman's right to abortion in specified circumstances. Never before has an international protocol gone so far! We believe strongly that the people of Africa have no wish to see such a protocol introduced into their laws”.
“We are sure the people of Uganda would never wish it - the Bishops write - For that reason we find it essential to bring this matter to public attention. Uganda has signed this protocol, but has not yet ratified it. In practical terms, this means that the protocol has no force in Uganda and will have no legal force until it is ratified and confirmed.”
“Abortion is always a defeat of humanity” - say the leaders of the Catholic Church in Uganda -
The situations of severe distress mentioned by the text of the protocol (rape, incest, sexual assault) cannot create the right to suppress an innocent life. This applies even less to a much less well defined "danger to the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the life of the foetus" which, as matter of fact, is the open door to abortion on demand.”
The Bishops underline that the extreme situations mentioned at article14.2c of the Maputo Protocol can be avoided. “We are convinced that only a consistent and unambiguous process of education to a correct and wholly human practice of sexuality can stop the spread of the kind of behaviour that leads to rape, incest, sexual assault and eventually to "unwanted pregnancies".
“As a practical suggestion, we encourage all men and women of good-will to actively engage political candidates requesting our vote in this electoral period with specific questions about their intentions concerning the legalisation of abortion in Uganda and the ratification of the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa - the Bishops write - We encourage all men and women who share our concerns to specifically condition their vote to the assurance and commitment the candidate not to approve either.”
So far the Maputo Protocol had been signed by 38 African countries, 16 of which have ratified it 3 (Libya, Rwanda, Senegal) expressing reserves with regard to article 14.2(c). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 26/1/2006 righe 46 parole 545)


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