Updated | Human rights NGOs back call for abortion debate

Human rights NGOs aditus Foundation and Integra Foundation have backed a call to open up a debate on the possibility of legalizing abortion.

“This issue cannot and must not remain in the shadows, cloaked in some kind of culture of shame,” Integra director Maria Pisani told MaltaToday. “We think its time for an informed and open debate on abortion.”

While she said that “the time was not right” to take a stance on the legalisation of abortion, she noted that Malta’s blanket ban doesn’t even allow for abortion in exceptional cases, such as saving a mother’s life.

“There can be no doubt that the law can negatively impact some women’s lives,” she said.

aditus director Neil Falzon called on policy-makers to organize an inclusive and safe space for all views on abortion to be heard and to refute discussion processes that declare their unwillingness to engage with the subject from the start.

“Any policy discussion on the matter cannot afford to be shadowed or prejudiced by a rigid stance that refuses to listen to other perspectives,” he said.

He warned that Malta’s absolute criminalisation of abortion could be leading to situations that place the health and lives of women at risk on a regular basis.

“Whatever one’s position is, surely it is wiser to advocate for an approach that seeks to prevent and minimize such risks, instead of insisting on one that pushes women to actually seek them out,” Falzon said.

Malta is the only European country, and one of the few countries in the world, that imposes a blanket ban on abortion, an issue repeatedly flagged by a number of UN committees.

The UN committees Human Rights Committee in November called on the Maltese government to make exceptions to the general ban on abortion for therapeutic purposes and when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

“The general criminalisation of abortion forces pregnant women to seek clandestine abortion services which put their lives and health at risk,” the committee said.

However, all major Maltese political parties have adopted zero-tolerance policies where abortion is concerned and no local NGO has yet taken a strong pro-abortion stance.

A group, ‘Pro-Choice Malta’ was recently set up to push for the legalisation of abortion. It as yet unknown who is behind the group, with its Facebook page not providing any contact details other than the group’s e-mail address.

“We call on our lawmakers to review this legislation and re-consider the impact that this [blanket] ban is having on the lives of women, on their health, and physical and mental safety,” the group wrote on their page. “Maltese women do carry out abortions in other countries where abortion is allowed, such as the UK, so why shouldn't we provide women with the chance to have a safe abortion in their own country?

"Illegal abortions put women's lives in danger and women should have access to safe medical procedures in their own country, together with the help and support of their friends and family.

“Having an abortion is a tough decision but women should feel empowered and have the right to choose. It is a woman's body that will be affected by the pregnancy.”

‘Celebrate life, not the culture of death’ – LifeNetwork

Anti-abortion group LifeNetwork responded by calling on the public to “celebrate life, not the culture of death”.

“Without entering into any controversies of a civil, political or religious nature, any person who is embedded with right reason, the reason which is written into the hearts of man, and who believes in the intrinsic and basic value of life, knows that life starts at natural conception and ends with natural death,” LifeNetwork said.

In a separate post on their Facebook page, the organisation dismissed the argument that abortion should be legalised to allow women access to safe medical procedures in their own country.

“It is also safer for burglars if we legalise their trade,” the group said. “The inconvenience of having to work in the dark warrants our compassion. It is much safer to do the job in broad daylight lest they trip and injure their legs.”