Council of Europe and the 'right to abortion'

Briefing.

From SPUC: The Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly today approved a resolution
which contains pro-abortion language. The resolution and its accompanying report on abandonment at birth promotes "legal and easier access to sexual rights and reproductive health services" such as "contraception and abortion". John Smeaton, SPUC national director, said: "What kind of world do politicians live in where they call for the abortion of children in order to avoid their abandonment at birth? Quite apart from the cruel fate of the children aborted, this policy will result in the abandonment of the mothers who are being aborted, and the continuation of the social problems which the report claims to address. The resolution's title describes abandonment as the first form of violence yet this is untrue. The first form of violence is abortion. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines children as every human being under the age of 18. It calls for protection before as well as after birth." [SPUC, 27 June]