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Morocco: Heading towards an abortion reform?
A national meeting on abortion was held in Morocco on 11 March. On this occasion, Moroccan Health Minister, El Houssine Louardi, commented on the current abortion law, referring to it as "restrictive, unfair, obsolete" and "not taking into account the reality...
Oklahoma : a draft law to protect the human embryo right from conception
The Oklahoma Parliament in the United States has adopted a draft law banning research on embryo stem cells. The law aims to protect the embryo, which it recognises as "a living organism of the homosapien species, even from its earliest stages of development,...
In Switzerland, assisted suicide requests increased by 20% in 2014
The number of assisted suicide requests increased by 20% last year in German- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Five hundred and eighty-four (584) people were given assistance to die in German-speaking Switzerland, i.e. an increase of 124 compared to 2013. ...
The European Parliament adopts the Tarabella report
On Monday, 9 March, the members of the European Parliament examined a report on equality between women and men presented by Marc Tarabella, a Belgian MEP from the Socialist group. Adopted by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) last 20 January,...
Canadian doctors do not want to participate in assisted suicides
A study conducted by the CSPCP (Society of Palliative Care Physicians) has revealed that most Canadian palliative care specialists refuse to participate in assisted suicides. Only 25% of CSPCP members are prepared to help a patient take his/her own life. The...
International Forum for the Abolition of Surrogacy – Against the trafficking of women
On 8 March, 2015, for International Women’s Day, the first "International Forum for the Abolition of Surrogacy" was held at Palais Brongniart in Paris. In one afternoon, some fifteen speakers, legal experts, philosophers, psychologists, filmmakers, etc., spoke before...
Ireland: Sinn Fein now in favour of legalising abortion “under certain conditions”
This weekend in Derry, during the annual Sinn Fein (Republican Party) congress, delegates decided to relinquish their historical opposition to abortion. The majority of party members voted in favour of legalising abortion "in some cases", and especially...
The Belgian Senate tackles surrogacy
In Belgium, surrogacy is tolerated and "has been openly practised for approximately twenty years" by three procreation centres. The majority of Belgian MPs agree on the need to "incorporate what already exists". The "creation of a legal joint parenting scheme" will be...
Pope Francis pleads for palliative care
Before the 21st plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, held at the Vatican from 5 to 7 March and focusing on "Assistance for the elderly and palliative care", Pope Francis reminded members that "palliative care is the properly human attitude of taking...
Surrogacy: The Council of State validates the Taubira circular
On Friday, 12 December 2014, the Council of State validated the circular disseminated by Keeper of the Seals, Christiane Taubira, aiming to facilitate the issuing of French citizenship certificates for children born abroad to a French father and surrogate...
South Africa: Poorly assessed risk of Down syndrome – a mother complains
In South Africa, the mother of a Down syndrome child has decided to take legal action against a foetal assessment centre that did not correctly assess during pregnancy the risk that her child could be suffering from Down syndrome. The mother is therefore claiming...
Northern Ireland set to liberalise abortion laws
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has announced its intention to pursue the principle of decentralised government in Northern Ireland. This nation, which is part of the United Kingdom, is accused of failing to apply the 1967 Abortion Act. ...