Lithuania considers legalizing medical abortion - EN.DELFI. Rimantė Šalaševičiūtė Lithuania's Health Ministry has drafted a new bill on termination of pregnancy, which suggests allowing medication-induced abortion.
"I think it [the bill] is rather good, as it includes new things, such as medication-induced termination of pregnancy, as the procedures are put in a very correct and clear manner, there is only one con – we do not have legal regulation yet," Health Minister Rimantė Šalaševičiūtė told BNS on Thursday. She said the document was drafted by her predecessor Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis who is about to take a position at the European Commission.
Before signing the document, Šalaševičiūtė intends to hold public hearings. Up until now, termination of pregnancy in Lithuania has not been regulated by law but rather a decree signed by the health minister. Opinion: Will the protection of prenatal life and ban on abortions be legalized in Lithuania along with prostitution? Opinion: Will the protection of prenatal life and ban on abortions be legalized in Lithuania along with prostitution?
The Lithuania Tribune presents an opinion article on banning the abortions in Lithuania by Dalia Leinartė, member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), published by DELFI. There are no objective serious arguments to justify banning the termination of an unwanted pregnancy. Doctors, social activists, and human rights defenders speak out against prohibiting abortions because they are aware of the consequences of such a ban – illegal and unsafe abortions.
International documents, including the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), confirm a woman’s right to maintain control over her reproduction. A woman has the right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of her children. Hungary is another example. Source: European Women's Lobby Européen des femmes : Call for Solidarity with the women in Lithuania for the right to safe and legal abortion! [Vilnius, 4 February 2014, Iniciatyva „Už teisę į saugų ir legalų abortą” - Iniciative for the right to safe and legal abortion] The Lithuanian Parliament is currently deliberating the “Law on the protection of a life in a pre-natal phase” and accompanying legislative projects, otherwise known as the “abortion ban bill”.
The Committee on Health Affairs has already approved the bill and those who initiated the law expect it will be passed by the Parliament in Spring. “My body belongs to me, not to the Parliament!” A call for solidarity with Lithuanian women in maintaining the control over their own bodies What is it about?
Lithuanian Parliament is currently deliberating the draft law on “Law on the protection of a life in a pre-natal phase” and accompanying legislative projects, otherwise known as “abortion ban bill”. The law considers abortion a criminal act punishable for up to three years imprisonment.The law equates women who terminate pregnancies to the murderers of unborn children.The law blatantly limits woman’s right to choose by allowing terminating pregnancy in only two cases: if it poses an evident threat to life of a mother or if a pregnancy is a result of a rape.
Dalia Grybauskaite (President of Luithuania) and European Commission: To stop legislation restricting access to abortion. Lituanie : le Parlement va débattre de l'interdiction de l'avortement. Le Parlement lituanien a renvoyé mardi en commissions parlementaires une proposition de loi déposée par la minorité polonaise et prévoyant l'interdiction en Lituanie de l'avortement, actuellement autorisé jusqu'à la 12e semaine de la grossesse.
"C'est un succès. Le vote après la première lecture du texte a montré que les députés sont ouverts au débat sur cette question, importante pour la société", a déclaré Zbignev Jedinskij, l'un des huit députés de LLRA, le parti de la minorité polonaise membre de la coalition au pouvoir. 46 députés ont voté pour le renvoi de la proposition en travaux parlementaires, 19 ont voté pour son rejet, et 25 se sont abstenus, a-t-il précisé. Actuellement, l'IVG est autorisée en Lituanie jusqu'à la 12e semaine, sur simple demande de la femme. Quelque 10 000 avortements par an sont pratiqués dans ce pays de 3 millions d'habitants.