Press Release 10/04/24

Life Network urges all Maltese MEPs to vote against proposal of “right to abortion” in upcoming vote on EU Fundamental Rights Charter, citing misinformation, Malta-EU Assentation Treaty, EU Law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
 

The draft proposal to include the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter, includes misinformation in regard to the laws of Malta. In Malta there are no restrictions regarding medical lifesaving treatments available to women who are pregnant[1], as is claimed in the draft proposal. Further to this, Malta has the same maternal mortality rate as the EU average[2], demonstrating top quality maternity care.

 

The pressure being placed on Malta by the European Parliament, is highly inappropriate in light of the EU-Malta accession Treaty 2003, whereby “nothing … shall affect the application in the territory of Malta of national legislation relating to abortion”[3].

 

While the European Parliament may vote on amending the Charter, it has no competence (legal right) to change the Charter, as all changes to the Charter must be agreed unanimously by each member state, not the European Parliament.

The draft proposal uses the language of human rights, even though the Universal Declaration of Human Right makes no reference to abortion, but rather states that “equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”[4]. To deny the humanity of one group within the human family, in this case unborn babies, is a travesty of justice.


It is particularly concerning that Maltese MEP Cyrus Engerer, is one of the proposers[5] of the draft which explicitly criticises Malta, in light of the fact that the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and every member of the Maltese Parliament only last year, voted unanimously in favour of the current law in Malta relating to the protection of mothers and their unborn babies.

 

The reference in the draft to people choosing “how to have children” seems to advocate for some form of right to surrogacy where women are used as incubators and babies are commodities.

 

Life Network encourages all to recognise that medical advancements have made it even clearer that an unborn baby, at every stage of development, is always a human being, and as such has inalienable rights and deserves protection.  Abortion does not protect women, but rather takes the lives of women, along with men, in the womb, while hurting mothers.  The way forward is to support women in their pregnancies and help them become great mothers to their children.

 

Dr Miriam Sciberras, CEO of Life Network said:
“This draft proposal, and all those who support and vote for it, are advocating for abortion up to the full 9-month gestation with no restrictions at all, as a matter of choice.  I urge all Maltese MEPs to proudly vote against it”.

“This draft proposal, framed in human rights language, is the antithesis of human rights.  It attempts to dehumanise the unborn child, giving him or her no rights whatsoever and turning children into commodities”.

Patricia Sandoval at March for Life 2023

Patricia Sandoval – will speak about her Escape from Drugs, Homelessness, and the Back Doors of Planned Parenthood

Patricia came from a broken home, good and bad boyfriends, three abortions, a job at Planned Parenthood (where she was told never to reveal what she saw), followed by methamphetamine addiction and homelessness.

Patricia Sandoval’s life story is an unusually gripping, hard-to-put-down ride along a journey that leads to an extraordinary triumph of God’s mercy—the mercy that waits patiently for all of us.

The way that Jesus came to her in the streets will leave you breathless, as will the heights to which God has since carried her.

If you know of someone who believes they cannot be forgiven or return to Church, this is the book to give them. (Watch the video of reader comments below.) Read Transfigured. Be Transfigured.

Patricia now travels the world as a pro life speaker, sharing her story with millions in packed stadiums and on radio and television shows, such as EWTN’s Bookmark, Life on the Rock, Women of Grace, At Home with Jim and Joy; and in Spanish, on EWTN’s Cara a Cara, Nuestro Fe en Vivo, Ellas lo Dicen, De Dos en Dos—and now on her own show with Astrid Bennett Gutiérrez: Informe Provida

Planned Parenthood Uses Hamas Attack to Sell Abortion

On October 7, Israel was the victim of one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in modern history. Heavily armed Hamas gunmen flew or drove into civilian centers and then began slaughtering everybody within reach, including women and children. By the time the massacre was done, over 1,000 Israelis had been killed, thousands more injured, and hundreds taken hostage. In the face of this appalling attack, Israel quickly responded, launching numerous airstrikes into Hamas-controlled Gaza. As of this writing, it appears that Israel is preparing to invade Gaza, the next stage in what is likely to be a long and brutal war. Read the full article here

Country singer releases moving song about brother with Down syndrome

A country singer has released a new song about his younger brother with Down syndrome, celebrating the differences they have and urging for inclusion and acceptance.

 

John Paul Von Arx said on his website that he released the song and music video, which features his brother Sam, to “bring hope to parents expecting a baby with Down Syndrome and express [his] solidarity with families of people with special needs.”

 

Read the full article here.

Mother, you will never need walk alone

Life Network Foundation has inaugurated “Id F’Id” (Hand in Hand), new premises providing material assistance services for pregnant women and young families raising infants.

 

The opening of Id F’Id complements the holistic support services for women run by Life Network Foundation…

 

Read the full Press Release (in English) here.

 

Read the Press Release in Maltese here.

Selfless mother-of-two volunteers to save abandoned premature babies

A 25-year-old Tanzanian woman has given up all her time to provide 24-hour ‘kangaroo care’ to abandoned premature infants.

The life of Mariam Mwakabunga, a selfless mother-of-two and a resident of Kinyerezi in Ubungo District in Tanzania, radically changed when she visited a hospital and discovered the plight of premature babies who had been abandoned. 

Read the full article here

Still fighting for the unborn in one of Europe’s last pro-life sanctuaries

International pressure to change Malta’s abortion law has ebbed and flowed, but has increased greatly in recent years.

On June 23, the Maltese Government made an abrupt positive pro-life U-turn, shelving an abortion “reform” bill the Labor Government had introduced in November 2022 and hoped to enact by Christmas.

It reversed course following a huge public outcry, compounded by the President’s threatened resignation if the bill passed Parliament. As a result, Malta remains one of the last countries in Europe that still protects unborn life.

See the full article here

How Malta Just Stopped Legalised Abortion

American pro-life attention since June 2022 has focused on the legal status of abortion in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, removing Roe v. Wade’s straitjacket on states that wanted to protect prenatal life.

Fewer people know that during the same period, a similar pro-life fight played out on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, one of Europe’s last two countries (alongside Poland) that provide substantial legal protection to unborn life.

Read the full article here

American College of OB/GYNs announces support for killing preborn humans ‘without limits’

The pro-abortion American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) has announced that it will nationally support abortion up to birth “without limits.”

In an op-ed written by leaders of ACOG and the Society of Family Planning for The Washington Post, the groups stated that abortion “must be available without restrictions, without limitations and without barriers.”

Read the full article here

European bishops: there is no “fundamental right to abortion”

COMECE on the “ethical indefensibility” of an EU fundamental right to abortion

In the context of the public debate on including a supposed right to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, COMECE publishes the statement The Ethical Indefensibility of an EU Fundamental Right to Abortion elaborated by its Commission on Ethics.

Read more here