30 March 2011

Media Release

Dame Margaret Sparrow - ALRANZ

Right to Life wishes to extend its best wishes to Dame Margaret Sparrow on the occasion of her handing over the leadership of the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand to Dr Morgan Healey.

Our Society acknowledges her passionate dedication and commitment to the interests of women over 32 years as President of ALRANZ, we do not however agree with her vision.

Right to Life shares this commitment to upholding the rights of women but sadly differs in its vision of what those rights are. The commitment of this Society is founded on a deep respect for the inherent dignity of women who are invited by our Creator to share with him in bringing new life into the world.

Right to Life recognises that there are tragically some pregnancies that cause great distress for women because of their circumstances and abandonment by the fathers of their child. We recognise that women distressed by their pregnancy are often coerced by family and friends to terminate the life of their child. Most women do not want to terminate the life of their child, they desperately want compassion and help. These vulnerable women deserve the support and protection of the community. A caring community should provide practical support by offering alternatives to the violence of abortion which destroys an innocent and defenceless unborn child.

Right to Life is opposed to violence against women and to their unborn children, who are the weakest members of the human family. With respect, we disagree with ALRANZ in its support for abortion being a backup to so-called failed contraceptives and it being an integral part of reproductive health. It is not, it is part of a culture of death. If we are to truly love and respect women we must also love their child.

Right to Life welcomes Dame Margaret's reference to abortion being increasingly recognised as "a human rights issue and a women's rights issue." It is always wrong to kill the innocent. We believe that there is an increasing awareness in society that the killing of unborn children is a serious violation of the human rights of the child, the foundation right being an inalienable right to life. The pro abortion movement perpetrates a grave injustice on women by falsely claiming that women have a human right to kill their unborn child. There is no such right.

New Zealand's abortion laws are not "antiquated", they just need to be upheld, they were passed by Parliament with the intention of protecting the health and welfare of women and the lives of their unborn children. Right to Life looks forward to the day when both ALRANZ and Right to Life will share a common vision of respecting and protecting both the mother and her child.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson
ends

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