Source: AusAcu

Humans are sexual beings and the desire is strong at 14, the age prone to mistakes; now should a teen’s life be ruined because of a mistake and what about the infant born later?Of course, seeing a dead mature human fetus would be gruesome but during its initial stages, it is no different from menstruation. Politicians, moralists, anti-abortionist and the society at large need to recognize the difference.

The current world population of 7.6 billion is expected to reach 11.2 billion in 2100 (United Nations). It was because of science that humans multiplied successfully and not because of politicians and moralists so they better not lead in this connection. The situation is worst in impoverished countries where the human population has crossed the barriers at the expense of everything pure, natural and balanced. Our moral-self is not stimulated by hunger deaths, deplorable living conditions or even by the slow death of the earth but abortion.

Every problem, ranging from malnutrition to terrorism, can be directly or indirectly related to population bulk. Countries like Germany and Japan with fewer social and economic issues; and higher education have maintained a decent standard of living but the rest of the world is suffering to a lesser or greater degree. In Japan, abortion is prohibited but if a woman deems it health-threatening or if economic conditions are unfavorable the option becomes available.

Chapter xxlx of the Japanese Penal Court makes abortion illegal but broad exceptions are also available and abortion is widely accepted and practiced. The law regarding maternal health protection allows approved doctors to practice abortion. The question is whether the rights of an unwilling mother over her own body carry more weight than the rights of an undeveloped fetus. Each of us just wants to be in control of her body; each of us wants to stay young and beautiful. Forced procreation is like depriving a woman of a very fundamental right. The embryo or fetus is not a separate human being because it is not able to survive outside the woman’s body.

Only when a baby can live independently from its mother’s body can it be granted full human rights. Until that point, a fetus’ rights should not supersede the rights of a woman to protect and control her body, (McKinley).

Anti-abortion activists and Christian conservative leaders in the US have been very happy since the president’s participation in “March for Life”. The New York Times described the president’s move as a great political evolution because for the most part of his life he had been a  “very Pro-choice” (The New York Times). With all its flaws democracy so far has been the best system ever developed by any people; for a elected leader disregarding popular opinion would be a major set-back but what about those low income women who are dependent on government funded clinics for planned parenthood and what about those unwanted babies who are subjected to a life of potential poverty? If world leaders are driven solely by self-interest; ignoring long-term planning; closing their eyes to concrete realities then social and economic collapse of a global magnitude may become inevitable.

It is important to mention, that a woman goes through the pain of labour. Moralists should not even be included in the decision making. It must be the woman’s decision.

By Hassan Azra

References

United Nations. Department of Economics and Social Affairs. Found at: http://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-the-2017

Peters, J, W. Trump Tells Anti-Abortion Marchers ‘We Are With You All the Way’ and Shows It, The  New  York  Times, 19 JAN 2018. Found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/us/politics/trump-anti-abortion-marchers.html

McKinley, B, E. Why Abortion Is Moral. 2000. Found at: http://elroy.net/ehr/abortionanswers.html