Monrovia – Scores of contributors at a Professional-Life Stakeholders Consultative and Advocacy Workshop have referred to as for the safety of unborn infants and elevated assist for pregnant youngsters throughout Liberia.
By Obediah Johnson
The workshop, organized by the Marketing campaign to Cease Excessive Abortion in Liberia, was held over the weekend on the New Water within the Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Brewerville, exterior Monrovia. Bishop Kortu Brown, former President of the Liberia Council of Church buildings (LCC), serves as Lead Convener of the marketing campaign.
Contributors reaffirmed their dedication to defending human life, strengthening neighborhood engagement, and selling accountable nationwide decision-making. They reviewed provisions within the proposed Public Well being Invoice and recognized sections they imagine promote excessive abortion practices.
The invoice was launched on the 54th Nationwide Legislature in February 2020 through the administration of former President George Manneh Weah. It was handed by the Home of Representatives on July 21, 2022 and is at the moment earlier than the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
Professional-life advocates on the workshop burdened the necessity for sustained legislative engagement to make sure lawmakers are totally conscious of issues raised by communities, non secular establishments, and pro-life teams. They additional famous that efficient advocacy requires ongoing dialogue with legislators who oppose liberalizing abortion, in addition to the recruitment and assist of extra representatives who uphold pro-life ideas.
They emphasised that selling pro-life management contains encouraging the election of lawmakers dedicated to talking and appearing on behalf of unborn youngsters. Broad public consciousness, they stated, stays important—requiring radio discussions, jingles, faith-based outreach, faculty packages, and neighborhood sensitization.
The non secular neighborhood, contributors argued, holds vital affect and will champion legislative measures that defend unborn life. They added that neighborhood engagement should stay central to public understanding, with consciousness efforts concentrating on cities, church buildings, mosques, faculties, and youth facilities.
Advocates referred to as for simplifying the reason of the invoice’s controversial provisions in order that neighborhood members can totally perceive the problems. They underscored the function of revered native leaders—pastors, imams, elders, ladies leaders, and youth leaders—in shaping public opinion.
In addition they urged the strengthening of neighborhood advocacy via flyers, speaking factors, and radio messages. County-level coordination, they famous, is required to make sure uniform advocacy nationwide, together with the formation of County Professional-Life Committees to information outreach efforts.
Contributors resolved that volunteers and native leaders have to be educated to supply correct info on what they described as the risks of maximum abortion legal guidelines. County motion plans, they stated, needs to be developed to assist structured advocacy efforts throughout all administrative areas.
“The safety of being pregnant is central to pro-life work, requiring community-based schooling for younger women and girls,” they said, emphasizing that pregnant youngsters want neighborhood assist methods and entry to sources that safeguard their well-being.
They additional famous that girls should play a essential function on this nationwide effort and referred to as for the creation of a ladies’s stress group—together with conventional leaders and key feminine stakeholders—to strengthen advocacy.
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the contributors undertake this Decision as a unified expression of dedication to guard unborn life, promote accountable nationwide management, construct sturdy neighborhood constructions, and advance coordinated advocacy on the neighborhood, county, and nationwide ranges all through Liberia,” the decision said.
Contributors additionally referred to as on members of the Liberian Senate to reject sections of the draft Public Well being Invoice that they imagine promote excessive abortion, and urged lawmakers in each homes to hitch the marketing campaign in opposition to abortion liberalization in Liberia.
Background on the Abortion Debate in Liberia
Liberia’s present public well being legislation restricts and criminalizes abortion, permitting it solely underneath particular circumstances—corresponding to rape, incest, risk to the mom’s life or well being, or fetal impairment—and requires strict procedures, together with written approval from two physicians.
Nevertheless, the proposed revised Public Well being Legislation seeks to decriminalize abortion underneath broader circumstances. This has sparked blended reactions.
The Marketing campaign to Cease Excessive Abortion in Liberia and the Catholic Bishops Convention of Liberia (CABICOL) strongly oppose the invoice, arguing that it undermines the sanctity of life and threatens Liberia’s ethical and spiritual values. Different non secular teams say the invoice is just too permissive and will result in a surge in abortions.
Some critics have claimed that the Liberian authorities is underneath stress from international companions and worldwide NGOs to cross the legislation.
Alternatively, organizations corresponding to SRHR Champions Liberia assist the invoice, arguing that it’s essential for safeguarding ladies’s reproductive rights. They are saying Liberia’s present abortion legislation is outdated and dangerous, citing excessive charges of unsafe abortions and maternal deaths. Supporters of the invoice emphasize that reform shouldn’t be solely about abortion entry, however about bettering total well being infrastructure, maternal care, and reproductive well being companies.
