Family policy analyst slams conclusions of government committee on abortion

Madrid, Spain, Mar 6, 2009 / 15:14 pm

A government-picked committee for Spain’s Ministry of Equality has concluded that abortion should be allowed to be performed without parental consent up to 14 weeks for teens as young as 16. The president of the Institute for Family Policy, Eduardo Hertfelder, is calling the decision “aberrant and unconstitutional.”

“What the government has done today is take a further step towards manipulation, sectarianism and scorn for society, as the conclusions coincided, as expected, with the assumptions of the government,” Hertfelder said, criticizing the committee for being made up of ideologically-driven people with economic interests in abortion.

Hertfelder depicted the conclusions as “another step” in support of the government’s agenda and against the needs of women, children, parents and society “and anything else that does not conform to its desires.”

“This has become a farce,” he said.

The president of the Institute for Family Policy proposed that the government form “a committee of authentic experts to open a serious and profound debate” without ideological and sectarian dogmas.

Otherwise, he warned, the application of these conclusions will make abortion more prevalent in Spain.

The members of the committee also proposed ensuring conscientious objection does not prevent women from having access to abortion in public or private health care facilities.

The Minister of Equality, Bibiana Aido, said the conclusions would be presented today at the Council of Ministers so that the government could draft a measure that would take the committee’s recommendations into account by summer.