News,

The government of Kenya is to launch a public debate on abortion with a view to decriminalising it. Mrs Charity Ngilu, Kenya's health minister, told a pro-abortion meeting: "I personally feel the continued denial of women to make free choice on their reproductive health life is wrong and should be reformed to allow that freedom." [East African Standard, 4 March ] Kenya's present abortion law is based on the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, passed by the UK parliament when Kenya was part of the British empire. Christian and Muslim leaders in the country are united in opposition to the legalisation of abortion in the draft text of the proposed new constitution. The director general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the world's largest promoter of abortion, has alluded to the eugenicist implications of his organisation's philosophy in a speech to Nordic pro-abortionists. Dr Steven Sinding recommended that supporters "[d]emonstrate the cost-effectiveness of sound sexual and reproductive health programmes, in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)". Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "The most notable defenders of DALY-type models, Dr. Peter Singer and Dr Helga Kuhse, also believe that abortion is sometimes morally obligatory and infanticide can be a morally acceptable proposal. IPPF's attempt to endorse the abortion agenda through the DALY model smells of eugenic population control." [SPUC, 5 March] An 85-year-old retired nurse in England has stirred the debate on appropriate treatment for elderly and seriously ill people by having the words "Do Not Resuscitate" tattooed across the front of her chest. Frances Polack explained that she had taken the measure in case doctors did not find her so-called living will stating her wishes not to be resuscitated in the event of cardiac arrest. [BBC News online, 5 March ] A judge in Canada has allowed a so-called wrongful life suit to proceed in a case which could set a precedent for future actions. The mother of a child, who was born with severe physical and mental disabilities, is suing doctors on the basis that she would have aborted her daughter had she been told about the child's condition. The case is being pursued in the name of the child herself, but the mother is seeking damages for the costs, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life resulting from the birth. Justice Eric Macklin of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta remarked that the proceedings would determine a "neat question of law". [LifeSite, 4 March ] The pro-abortion attorney general of New York state has bowed to pressure from pro-lifers and has withdrawn from a dinner event organised by the Friendly Sons of St Patrick celebrating Irish-American heritage. Eliot Spitzer said that he had withdrawn "out of respect for the organisers" after the American Life League mounted a campaign against his appearance. A spokesman for the ALL welcomed the news, saying that the attorney general's very presence would have been an insult to Irish Catholics. [IOL, 28 February ]