Madrid, Spain, Apr 23, 2006 / 22:00 pm
In the wake of a poll conducted by the Institute for Family Policy in Spain, which showed that most Spaniards consider the government’s efforts to address unwanted pregnancies a failure, several pro-family groups are calling on the government to reconsider its position and provide better assistance to pregnant women.
The results of the poll, which were made public last Thursday, showed that 78% of Spaniards believe the government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero should inform women about alternatives to abortion and its negative consequences.
The pro-family group “There Are Alternatives” said the growing awareness about abortion in Spain was positive and that with the new information; the Ministry of Health has an opportunity to address the problem with protection measures for pregnant women.
“Spain is at a historic crossroads when it comes to the drama of abortion, and it is the government which, at the national level must offer protection measures for pregnant women and for newborns, thus promoting real freedom to be mothers,” the group said in a statement.
The president of the civil rights watchdog website HazteOir.org, Ignacio Arsuaga, said the poll reveals that “abortion is a grave problem about which many citizens are not aware and numerous public administrations and the Ministry of Health do not seem interested, given their refusal to meet with associations that offer outreach to pregnant women and newborns.”
He said the government ought to promote ways to assist pregnant women and sensitize people about the positive social value of motherhood.
The Spanish Forum on the Family, for its part, is calling on political leaders to increase assistance to pregnant women through information about childbirth, pregnancy and motherhood. The group has also requested a meeting with Spain’s Minister of Health, Elena Salgado, to present a program it has developed to offer medical, psychological and material help to pregnant women throughout the country.