Marie Stopes Accused Of Failing To Meet Real Needs Of Women In Developing Countries, UK

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 29 Oct 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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Marie Stopes, which today hosts an international conference on the need for more abortion facilities in the developing world has been accused of failing to meet the real needs of women.

Over 100 young women are expected to picket outside the 'Global Safe' Abortion Conference (http://www.globalsafeabortion.org) at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, off Parliament Square, London, where speakers include healthcare professionals, pro choice group directors and MPs.

A programme of action by protesters will include heckling speakers in their home language and church leaders from Nigeria claiming that women in their country do not want abortion on demand, despite Marie Stopes campaign.

Lord Steele, whose 1967 Abortion Act is commemorated this weekend, will also be challenged on how his legacy compares to his father's, who was a great promoter of the value of human life.

Dr Peter Saunders, General Secretary of Christian Medical Fellowship, said: "The title of this conference may be 'Global Safe' but there's nothing safe about it when you consider the impact it could have on hundreds of thousands of lives who may be aborted as a result. Let's be clear, this conference is all about promoting abortion, rather than caring for the real needs of women.

"If it were about women's needs, it should have focussed on the failure of Governments around the world to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. This conference is preoccupied with promoting the ideology and practice of abortion rather than the genuine healthcare needs of women and children.

"The real threat to women's health is the failure to care for women during pregnancy and childbirth and for their babies after birth. The mortality rate of so-called 'unsafe-abortions' has been widely inflated by pro-choice activists.

"With advances in medical care, there were very few women dying from un-safe abortions in Britain at the time the 1967 Abortion Act came into force."

Andrea Minichiello Williams of CCFON, who is taking part in the demonstrations, added: "It's heart-breaking to see such 'in your face' advocacy of abortion at a conference that cloaks itself in the language of maternal and newborn health."

About CMF

Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 4,500 British doctor members in all branches of medicine. A registered charity, it is linked to about 60 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.

The CMF exists to unite Christian doctors to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.

http://www.cmf.org.uk