Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1479276
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWS Improved cognitive abilities Increased hand-to-eye coordination Greater multi-tasking ability Faster and more accurate decision making Poor sleep hygiene Exhaustion Obesity problems Lack of motivation THE BENEFITS OF GAMING AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXCESSIVENESS ALWAYS FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE SUPPORTLINE 1777 Dalli quizzed by socialist MEPs over Prudente case JAMES DEBONO SOCIALIST MEPs have taken Malta's European Commissioner for equality Helena Dalli to task, in questions as to what she was doing to secure abortion as a hu- man right in Europe in the after- math of the Prudente case. The question addressed to the Commission was filed by five MEPs in June in the wake of the case of Andrea Prudente, an American tourist in Malta who had to be flown to Spain to termi- nate a life-threatening pregnancy after Maltese doctors refused to. The Commission currently has no competence over abortion rights in member states, but pres- sure is mounting for recognising abortion as a right in the Europe- an Charter of Human Rights. The MEPs asked what steps the Commission was taking to ensure that access to abortion is recognised as a human right in all member states. "Women living in the EU should enjoy equal rights in all aspects of their lives... all women in the EU should have adequate access to quality health care and treat- ment," Helena Dalli said in her carefully worded reply to the five Socialist MEPs, who had asked what she is doing as Commis- sioner for Equality to ensure that abortion is secured as a funda- mental human right for women. The MEPs noted that Prudente could have developed a deadly in- fection as a result of her pregnan- cy complications. As the foetus' heart was still beating, Maltese doctors refused to terminate the pregnancy, in accordance with Maltese law, although the foetus had no chance of survival outside the womb. The woman was sub- sequently granted an authorisa- tion for a transfer to Spain, where she was given the treatment she needed. The MEPs reminded the Com- mission that "this is not the first time that this Maltese law has al- most cost a woman her life". In the final part of the written reply on behalf of the Commis- sion, Dalli replied that "equality between women and men is a core value of the EU" and that "wom- en living in the EU should enjoy equal rights in all aspects of their lives." She also told the MEPs that the Commission recognises every person's fundamental right of access to quality healthcare. "All women across the EU should have adequate access to quality health care and treatment." But Dalli also recognised that "healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare, falls within the Member States' com- petence" and that when making use of their competences, "Mem- ber States must respect funda- mental rights enshrined in their national constitutions and comply with their commitments under international law." But she also recognised that "gender inequalities may signifi- cantly affect sexual and reproduc- tive health outcomes." While acknowledging the lim- ited powers the Commission has on access to abortion in member states, Dalli pointed out that the Commission "continues to fund civil society organisations work- ing on gender equality, including sexual and reproductive health and rights" and "support member states' efforts in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals relevant to women's health, universal access to sexual and reproductive care, family planning and education." The question was fielded by Ital- ian Socialist MEPs Alessandra Moretti, Camilla Laureti, Giuliano Pisapia, Irene Tinagli, Pierfranc- esco Majorino and Giuseppe Fer- randino (S&D). September 2022 September 2022