AGM
CFT Beliefs
Christian News
Newsletter
Q & A
Actions
Articles
Links
Contact
President
Audio
                        

Info from Doctors for Life International on "Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill"

Download the latest Provisional Dates and venues for Public Hearings (pdf), or view the details here (updated 11 Aug)

Doctors for Life International have put a lot of work into gathering information on the "Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill" and the "Traditional Health Practitioners Bill". We appreciate the information they have made available - a DFL summary of concerns about these Bills is presented below. Through DFL's legal challenges, in 2006, the Constitutional Court declared these two laws invalid because "Parliament did not consult the public when it passed the laws". Parliament can now re-enact these laws after they have involved the public as required by the Constitution.

Aim of the Bill:

To make abortion-on-demand more a by exempting 24-hour maternity services from having to obtain approval to perform abortion and to allow all nurses (instead of midwives only) to perform abortion.

DFL's concerns regarding the Bill:

• The Bill does not contain a clause that recognises a doctor or nurse's right to refuse to do abortion. Many health care workers face intimidation and unfair discrimination because they believe that abortion is wrong. Even though many other countries have specific clauses protecting health professionals in this regard, South Africa does not have any.
• The Bill does not recognize the scientific fact that a human life starts at fertilization
• No provision is made to ensure that women understand the serious psychological and physical complications surrounding abortion.
• Minors lack the cognitive development to appreciate the consequences of their health care decisions. Yet no provision is made for minors to obtain their guardian's consent.