Partit Demokratiku today asserted its pro-life stance, saying that life should be protected before and after birth. The party also said the country should ensure that children from unplanned pregnancies, or those born into families without adequate means, should be given a future in more stable families.
PD said the discussion on the subject has often resulted in entrenched positions on both sides of the debate without due regard to very important issues that our society is neglecting.
"We believe that a major step in this debate is to understand why people contemplate the termination of pregnancies, what brings them to that situation, and what can be done to avoid such scenarios. PD has arrived at its position in full regard of the various facets of this issue. It strives to give direction to its policy, whilst at the same time allowing for individual freedom of its members to practice their faith, morals and ethical standards."
PD declared to be pro-life in a wider context than is usually understood in this debate.
"We are pro-life as our policies work towards the safeguarding of life in its various stages and to focus on the root causes of so many unwanted pregnancies. PD believes that the first focus should be on educating and empowering our young people to avoid situations where abortion is even contemplated. A strong and relentless sexual education campaign needs to be integrated into our national curriculum from early age. Knowledge is empowerment and such a campaign should be open, frank and continuous."
Our young people need to be given the life skills necessary to be able to take educated and informed decisions with regards to their sexual activity, formation and strengthening of relationships, social interactions and responsible parenthood, the party said.
"PD is pro-life in not only defending the unborn but also pro-life after birth which means working towards a good quality of life for our families by ensuring that both parents contribute to the wellbeing of their children, by working in partnership and by striving to give the best to their families.
Pro-life means that all our children are given the best opportunities possible in life and that no one is left behind.
PD insists that our society (Government, NGOs, religious and lay organisations) ensures that any children from unplanned pregnancies, or born into families without adequate means to support them, are given a future as other children born in more stable families.
They should not pay for their parents' ways by starting and continuing life at a disadvantage, but be given all the opportunities to make a success out of their life, notwithstanding a bad start. On the other hand, PD is pro-choice as well.
We are pro-choice in that women should have access to proper sex education, contraception and women's health services.
We are pro-choice in that women should have a real choice against terminating an unwanted pregnancy because their child can be taken into proper care, or they can bank on active institutional support should they decide to keep a child from an unwanted pregnancy themselves.
We are pro-choice in that we would not want pregnancies to be terminated because the parents (and particularly the woman) face a bleak future without any adequate moral, psychological, material and social support.
We are pro-choice in that we are in favour of nurturing a society where women are treated fairly in a society with zero tolerance towards violence and abuse. We still live in a society where women are not treated as equals in many aspects both in their public and their private roles.
We are pro-choice in that any parent who decides to forsake a job/career out of the home to focus on the upbringing of children should earn a parental wage as a consideration for his/her contribution to the raising of tomorrow's generation. These are the choices that PD wants to encourage."
PD said it believes in freedom of conscience and allows its members and representatives to pursue their own beliefs and mores on such a sensitive subject. It also believes that any discussion on the subject should not seek to pit the rights of the mother against that of the unborn child.
The focus should be to create an environment where the need of termination of pregnancies is avoided and to give the support necessary, to give every child the chance to live in dignity and surrounded by love and care, the party said.
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