Last month the Constitution Technical Committee of Zambia released the first Draft Constitution and Planned Parenthood of Zambia (PPAZ) has responded calling for the elimination of language that would protect the life of the unborn.
PPAZ Executive Director Edford Mutuma said article 28 (1) which states that a person has the right to life which begins at conception, was problematic and could deny women access to certain reproductive health services. While he commended language in Article 52 which provides women access to reproductive health education, services and family planning, he said it was “overshadowed” by the pro-life language.
Matuma said that “if the right to life was considered to begin at conception then some medical procedures and reproductive health services may become unconstitutional.” “In order to be consistent with international human rights law, the Zambian Constitution cannot contain such a clause,” Mr. Mutuma said.
Abortion rights advocates often make misleading statements about women not being able to access contraception due to language that seeks to safeguard the unborn calling for protection “at conception.” Although they know this to be a fabrication they use it nonetheless since it resonates with women. The truth is abortion rights advocates, and especially those representing Planned Parenthood will fight for nothing short of abortion as a reproductive health service.
LifeNews.com Note: Lisa Correnti writes for the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute. This article originally appeared in the pro-life group’s Turtle Bay and Beyond blog and is used with permission.
