Doctors For Life, a Maltese anti-abortion pressure group, has called on the Commissioner for Children to declare her position on the still controversial topic.

This comes after Lovin Malta published an article where the Office for the Commissioner for Children (OCC) gave a level-headed reaction to the debate to the UN’s recommendations for the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls, which includes the safe access to abortion and post-abortion services.

Noting that Malta was free to adopt the recommendations or not, the OCC highlighted that the possibility of asserting the rights of the unborn might run in direct conflict with “the right to life, health, and best interests of a pregnant girl”.

In fact, the OCC noted that international law does consider the rights of the pregnant child supersede the right to life of an unborn child under the UN Convention, pointing to legislation which says that the Commissioner’s role is to “promote special care and protection for children both before and after birth”.

Reiterating their personal position that life begins at fertilisation, Doctor for Life are insisting that an embryo/fetus is deserving of the full protection of the law.  The group also pointed to legislation which says that the Commissioner’s role is to “promote special care and protection, including adequate legal protection, for children both before and after birth”.

“Doctors For Life, therefore, expects the Commissioner to fulfil her statutory role and unambiguously state her position in defence of the life of the pre-born child,” Doctors for Life said.

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