Wants Amendment In The Revised Health Law

PHOTO: Bishop Kortu Brown of Liberia

The Christian Council International Church Aid Inc (CAL) is launching a campaign to “stop extreme abortion” Liberia and is calling on the government to amend the revised Health Law of 1976.

This call was made by CAL in a statement read recently by Bishop Kortu Brown at the United Nations Universal Peer Review – UPR in Geneva, Switzerland

SEE FULL TEXT OF STATEMENT BELOW:

Thank you for this opportunity.

I deliver this statement on behalf of Christian Council International Church Aid Inc (CAI) the Campaign to Stop Extreme Abortion in Liberia and the general religious community in Liberia

We are concerned about Liberia’s support for five recommendations related to sexual and reproductive health services for all and access to abortion services. Abortion in Liberia is regulated under the Penal Law of Liberia, Chapter 16 on Offenses Against the Family and is generally prohibited except under very limited circumstances, including in cases when the life or health of the mother is at risk.

The religious and traditional communities and ordinary Liberians have opposed attempts in recent years to impose an abortion amendment in the revised draft public Health Law of 1976, before Liberian lawmakers beyond its limited recorded circumstances mentioned above.

Sexual and reproductive health services as a term has no universally agreed-upon international definition. Consequently, Liberia is under no binding international obligation to legalize abortion. We therefore trust that the implementation of these recommendations will be carried out in a manner that fully respects Liberia’s constitutional framework, national legislation and cultural values.

Comprehensive sexuality education is also not referenced in any universally agreed, legally binding international instrument. Its adoption and implementation therefore remain entirely within the sovereign prerogative of states. Furthermore, the effectiveness and content of comprehensive sexuality education remain widely debated in many societies.

Effective alternatives that align with the religious and cultural context of Liberia, such as abstinence-focused sexuality education, can also provide young people with skills-based education on relationships, health and HIV prevention. In this regard, the role of parents must be respected. The involvement of parents in the education and health decisions of their children should be protected and promoted.

We therefore call upon the Government of Liberia to ensure that the implementation of these recommendations remains consistent with national laws, respects parental rights and upholds the country’s cultural and moral values.

Finally, we encourage continued dialogue that respects the sovereignty of states and the diversity of social, cultural and religious contexts.

Thank you.