Dominican Republic Bans Abortion, Feminists And Catholic Cardinals Weigh In
30 April 2009, 2:15 PM. By Alex Alvarez
The Dominican Republic has added a clause to its constitution stating that the right to live is “inviolable from birth until death,” this banning all forms of abortion. The clause also bolsters the country’s ban on the death penalty.
With this new clause, the Dominican Republic joins a slew of other countries where abortions are either completely prohibited, without exception, or allowed solely if continuing the pregnancy will endanger the mother’s life. Such countries include Andorra, Brazil (where it is still widely performed despite being illegal), Chile, El Salvador, Ireland, Malta, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Poland (unless the pregnancy is the result of a “criminal act,” or the fetus is malformed).
According to Dominican Today, the decision passed amid much protest from feminist and human rights groups:
Despite the constant objections by feminist organizations, institutions and personalities who favor legalizing abortion in cases of incest, rape or when the pregnancy endangers a woman’s life, the Revisory Assembly Tuesday approved Executive Branch’s proposal 21, which states: “The right to the life is inviolable from conception until death.”
Moreover Association of Housewives Committees president Rosario Lopez said she regrets that the Assembly members approved the article without including the some exceptions to protect women and doctors. “It strongly draws our attention the urgency with which the Assembly members approved this article without Dominican society and especially the women, being given the opportunity to consider the opinion of a team of professionals, as we had suggested.”
According to Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, however, the clause reflects the opinion of the island’s majority. He also brushed aside claims that the Catholic Church’s stance on abortion may have played a role in the abortion ban:
We understand that that’s what the Dominican people feel and it’s necessary to be in tune. What the Church has done is to interpret what the majority feels.
We’re fairly certain that is not how the Church operate but, oh, what the Hell.
Anyway. What do you think of the Dominican Republic’s decision?
Dominican Republic Adds “Right to Life” to Constitution, Outlaws All Abortion [The Cleveland Leader]
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That is jacked up. I didn’t realize that abortions were prohibited in so many places. Jesus needs to get his ass out of politics.
“from birth until death…”
i’m confused, wouldn’t abortion happen before birth?
Pro-lifers believe that life begins at the moment of conception and thus why they believe abortion is an act of murder.
That’s not what Guest is confused about–conception and abortion would happen before “birth”, and the wording of the clause says that the right to life is from “birth until death”.
Also, I find it stupid to make all types of abortion illegal. It’s not going to do anything. It’s not going to make abortions suddenly disappear.
The only thing making abortion illegal does,is jump up the body count of risky back-door alley abortions.
they better have a genius sex ed program installed…bc its a total step backwards
It’s called “personal responsibility.” When people stopped being made to face the consequences of their actions is when they began to think that killing babies was okay. God Bless those who have seen the light and banned this mass murder.