(Catholic Parliamentary Office) — A campaign advocating for the legalization of abortion up to birth for any reason in Scotland has been formally launched. The initiative, titled Let’s Change the Act, calls for the full decriminalization of abortion and the replacement of the Abortion Act 1967 with a “modern, health-based legislative framework.”
Decriminalization would entail the removal of criminal law provisions related to abortion, allowing terminations up to birth for any reason, including sex-selective abortion.
The campaign is supported by a range of organizations, including Amnesty International, Engender, Equality Network, the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), and the Humanist Society Scotland.
Disability rights organizations Inclusion Scotland and Glasgow Disability Alliance are also listed as supporters, which is deeply disappointing and regrettable given disabled unborn children are often disproportionately affected by abortion. Across the UK, approximately 90% of pregnancies involving babies with Down syndrome are terminated and abortions have been carried out for treatable conditions such as cleft palate and club foot. Moreover, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has repeatedly criticized abortion policies that differentiate based on disability.
READ: ‘Left to Die’ campaign demands protections for babies born alive after abortions
Jill Wood, policy manager at Engender Scotland, said that the new campaign seeks to uphold human rights and “safeguard women’s health for future generations.” The proposed changes would, however, undermine the fundamental right to life for unborn children, and would, ironically, result in the loss of future generations.
Ms. Wood also claimed that the “rise of far-right narratives pose a profound threat to abortion rights.” This campaign, however, is not about left and right politics, it’s about tiny human beings in the womb, and specifically whether the state should actively deny their equality and render their lives unworthy of protection from deliberate death right up to the point of birth.
It does not belong to society, nor does it belong to public authorities, to recognize the right to life for some, but not for others. If we want to be a caring, compassionate society then we must uphold the most basic and fundamental right to life and ensure that both mother and child are accepted and loved.
Instead of decriminalizing abortion, the Scottish government and Members of the Scottish Parliament should prioritize support for women facing crisis pregnancies by collaborating with public bodies and third-sector organizations to address financial, material, and emotional needs.
Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Parliamentary Office.
