15 June 2006

Media Release

Right to Life New Zealand is delighted with the substantial decrease in abortions reported in New Zealand for 2005. A total of 17530 abortions are reported for 2005, this is a decrease of 680 on the 18210 abortions reported for 2004. It is also a decrease of 981 on the 18511 abortions reported for 2003. It is our hope that this downward trend will continue.

Right to Life attributes this decrease in abortions mainly to the growing awareness among women that abortions hurt women and may result in serious spiritual, psychological and physical damage to women’s health, including an increased risk of breast cancer.

It is significant that there has been a substantial reduction in repeat abortions. In 2005 there were 6321 repeat abortions; this was a decrease of 194 on the 6515 repeat abortions reported for 2004.

It is also significant that there has been a substantial decrease in European women having abortions. In 2005 there were 9732 European women who had an abortion, a decrease of 626 on the 10358 European women who had an abortion in 2004.

Our abortion statistics still represent a violation of the human rights of unborn children and a disregard for the health and welfare of women facing an unplanned pregnancy. Our Society calls upon the government to provide increased legal protection for our unborn children who are the weakest and most defenceless members of the human family.

Right to Life also urges the government to withdraw its failed “safe sex” program and replace it with abstinence based education, a program that does not result in unplanned pregnancies, abortions and hurt and abandoned women.

Right to Life will continue to seek legal recognition of the unborn child as a human being endowed by its Creator with an inalienable right to life. We are committed to working for the ideal of no abortions in New Zealand and the day when regardless of circumstances every child from conception will be valued, respected and protected.

ENDS

© Scoop Media