Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/694236
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 JUNE 2016 6 News JURGEN BALZAN MALTA'S bishops launched an early salvo in what is squaring up as Catholic Malta's new moral dilemma: regulating the sale of the morning-after pill (MAP), an emergency contraceptive that de- lays the release of the female ova so as to prevent its fertilization with sperm. Women here do not have access to the 'MAP' which is found in any other European pharmacy. For Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, the morning-after pill is an abor- tifacient. Their statement was released two days since a group of 102 women and the Women's Rights Foundation, led by the hu- man rights lawyer Lara Dimitrije- vic (interview pages 14-15) filed a judicial protest against the ban on emergency contraception, arguing that it breached their fundamental rights as women. They demand licensing, importa- tion and distribution of the emer- gency contraception pill in Malta. But while the Curia says it strongly believes in the role and dignity of women, Scicluna and Grech have – expectedly – vehemently op- posed the call to lift the ban, insist- ing that 'life' should be protected from conception. "We are in favour of a person's rights in the womb because al- though the person does not have the power to make the voice heard, the right to life must be protected vigorously. Therefore, we strongly reiterate that legalisation of this pill, which in many cases is abor- tive, should not be an issue related to women's rights or her reproduc- tive health," the bishops said. They added that there are more serious and delicate issues at stake when it comes to the beginning of human life and "if they're ignored we would undermine society's most sacred values." Scicluna and Grech said that they would continue protecting "our culture" and the dignity of every human life from conception. Malta's pro-life lobby, a fed- eration of Christian conservative voices, has already said it would campaign against any legaliza- tion of the morning-after pill. The lobby is led by Paul Vincenti, a real estate training expert who has un- successfully campaigned for the inclusion of the crime of abortion in the Maltese constitution since 2005. Others include dentists Klaus Vella Bardon and Miriam Sciber- ras, who have been active in the fight against the legalisation of embryo freezing, which has been banned since 2013 when the Na- tionalist administration intro- duced a new IVF law. Collectively they form part of various organisations, respectively Gift of Life and the Life Network. Another organisation is the Malta Unborn Child Movement. Only this week, one of their members, Elena Micallef Borg, produced a counter-movement called Women for Life to argue that the availabil- ity of the MAP would encourage more male rapists. Critics on Fa- cebook blasted the spurious claim. More voices in support Moviment Graffitti said it fully supported the campaign to allow MAP, which it said would lead to more women having "further au- tonomy over their bodies and ex- ercise their reproductive rights in a way they deem fit, as opposed to having their reproductive organs policed by the government and re- ligious pressure groups." Graffitti said the Maltese crusade against the right of a woman to control her body and govern her own life continues to place women in precarious situations. "It under- mines their ability to live in the lib- erty they are entitled to, free from the subjugated position placed upon them by the expectations of a patriarchal society, obsessed with control over a woman's body." The Malta Humanist Association also declared its support for the Women's Rights Foundation. "There have been several misin- formed claims on the issue, even by people in high authority, and would therefore encourage the public to seek valid scientific infor- mation individually rather than ac- cept hearsay and sentiment-laden statements." The MHA disputed claims that the pill is abortive. "Emergency contraceptives prevent an egg from being released from the ova- ries, and thus prevent fertilisation. They are not abortive measures and cannot interfere with an em- bryo once fertilisation has taken place." It said there could never be gen- der equality when women are pre- vented from taking control of their own reproduction. "There is no justification for de- nying women the right to emer- gency contraceptives and the Mal- ta Humanist Association applauds the Women's Rights Foundation for taking this initiative." MORNING-AFTER PILL NOTICE by the Electoral Commission REQUIRED: LEASING OF OFFICE SPACE The Electoral Commission notifies the issue of an Expression of Interest (EOI) to lease Office space of between 800 and 1,200 square metres for itself and the Electoral Office for a minimum span of 10 years. The full EOI may be downloaded from the Publications section in the Electoral Commission's website (www.electoral.gov.mt). Requests for clarifications on the subject may be submitted in writing to the Chief Electoral Commissioner at joseph.church@gov.mt. The information and material requested in the EOI must reach the Chief Electoral Commissioner by hand in a sealed envelope at the Office of the Electoral Commission, Evans Building, Merchants Street, Valletta, by not later than noon of Friday, 8th July, 2016. www.electoral.gov.mt Bishops: 'Morning- after pill not about women's rights' Graffitti, Humanists: Women's reproductive organs are being policed by the government and religious pressure groups 'There could never be gender equality when women are prevented from taking control of their own reproduction' – Malta Humanists Association 'The legalisation of this pill, which in many cases is abortive, should not be an issue related to women's rights or her reproductive health' – Charles Scicluna Archbishop Charles Scicluna