Abortion Ethics Act[Archived] [Complete]

[Eternal Yerushalayim]

Abortion Ethics Act
A resolution to restrict civil freedoms in the interest of moral decency.

Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Eternal Yerushalayim

Description: The World Assembly,

RECOGNISING a compelling practical interest in making abortions safe and rare,

DEFINING pregnancy as the condition of carrying a developing offspring within the body,

DEFINING abortion as the intentional termination of a pregnancy resulting in the end of biological functions in a developing offspring,

DEFINING elective abortions as abortions performed for purposes other than to preserve the life and/or permanent health of patient,

HEREBY

ENCOURAGES member nations to adopt policies which promote reducing abortions sought because of medically non-harmful traits in the developing offspring,

FURTHER ENCOURAGES member nations to promote prudent and thorough consideration by pregnant persons before they seek elective abortions under circumstances in which live delivery of developing offspring is a viable option and developing offspring should, on the balance of probabilities, be able to lead a normal life under medical care available in the nation of citizenship of offspring and/or the nation where offspring is born,

EMPHASISES that physicians who refuse to perform abortions which have been explicitly legalised by prior international legislation are encouraged, and may be compelled, to provide information about when, where and how such abortions may be procured,

REQUIRES that all requests for abortions which have not been explicitly legalised by prior international legislation are confirmed by patient through written consent after being fully informed of the process of abortion, and its effects on patient,

STIPULATES that if patient is rendered incapable of granting fully informed consent under the previous clause, and has not previously expressed disapproval of such action, person with patient's medical power of attorney, or, in the absence of such person, patient's legal next-of-kin, may do so on behalf of the patient,

URGES member nations to provide and promote services that help to enhance the physical and mental health of pregnant persons, in addition to circulating information about available alternatives to abortion,

MANDATES that the above public services shall neither be used to infringe on individual choice in any way, nor to circulate information that is explicitly faith-based in content,

AFFIRMS the authority of individual member nations to determine the amount of funding they provide, both directly and indirectly, for elective abortion services, except as and when explicitly stipulated by prior international legislation,

TRUSTS that the provisions of this resolution shall not be construed to either abridge the right of member nations to further regulate the procedure of abortion within the confines of prior international legislation, or to allow and/or promote restrictions on this procedure which impose an undue burden on patient's rights and privileges under prior international legislation.

Well, to start with, I'm sure that all of you know that the World Assembly has been engaged in a fierce discussion on the legality of abortion since the end of 2010 (the Abortion Wars :p). This vigorous debate ultimately led to the passage of GAR #128, popularly known as On Abortion. OA is generally recognised as a good compromise and enjoys great support. However, it has failed to address several key issues. This proposal seeks to supplement "On Abortion", precisely to rectify this flaw.

The AEA, if enacted, would discourage selective-elective abortions, most notably sex-selective abortions, and late-term abortions, when the developing offspring has a chance to survive and lead a normal life. This would guide nations in the direction of promoting parental responsibility and protecting potential life against any discrimination etc., while preserving personal choice and leaving implementation to member nations, to formulate the best national-level policies by themselves.

Two of the greatest flaws in OA are that it does not fully prevent forced abortions, as well as the fact that physicians are not held accountable if their refusal to perform an abortion leads to the loss of life. For the first problem, this proposal would tighten restrictions on forced abortions by requiring the free, informed consent of the patient, in addition to promoting access to alternatives and information. As for the second point, this proposal would allow physicians to be compelled to refer patients seeking abortions to another physician, ensuring access to essential abortion services.

Furthermore, the second last clause allows member nations to determine the amount of funding they provide for elective abortions, blocking any future legislation requiring state funding of these procedures. This would defend national sovereignty, especially for nations with fiscal difficulties.

Last but not least, this proposal would allows member nations to place regulations on the procedure of abortion, including requirements for a waiting period etc., provided that these regulations do not place an undue burden on patients' rights under international law.

To conclude, I urge all of you to support this proposal for a good compromise and a significant milestone, for the culture of life, national sovereignty and personal choice. Hurray and have a nice day!

 

[Grosseschnauzer]

Topic moved to archival.

 

[r3naissanc3r]

Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.