Post by radovic on Nov 29, 2007 12:37:10 GMT -5
Skopje Anti-Abortion Poster Mystery
29 11 2007 Skopje _ Mystery surrounds the appearance of controversial anti-abortion posters in FYROM capital over the past few days, with no group claiming responsibility so far.
The poster, which says “Abortion is murder”, shows a foetus covered in blood on one side, and a smiling baby on the other.
It has spawned reactions of disapproval from some human rights organizations and experts, who have also voiced their concern that others have kept silent.
Mirjana Najcevska, a former head of the FYROM Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, told Balkan Insight on Wednesday, that this campaign went against women’s right to choose, and endangered their right to life and health.
“The absence of reaction of those who allegedly fight for gender equality and for women’s rights, is definitely worrying”, Najcevska said, calling on public institutions and human rights watchdogs to respond.
The Women’s Alliance of FYROM, the FYROM Women’s Lobby in the parliament, the municipal gender equality commissions and the national commission in the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy have all remained silent up to now.
Sources at the FYROM Helsinki Committee have told Balkan Insight they were investigating the matter, and would report on it later this week.
Najcevska said she did not believe that the idea of making abortion illegal would win widespread support in FYROM, but added that “bearing in mind the practice of political arbitrariness of the people in power, it will not be a surprise if one day we wake up with a law that bans abortion”.
So far no one has announced any moves to introduce draft legislation on banning abortion.
The main centre-right governing party, VMRO-DPMNE, has refrained from commenting.
The controversial poster displays only the web address of the US-based Center for Bio-Ethical Reforms.
On its site, the center describes itself as a “privately-funded, non-profit educational corporation” that works, “to establish prenatal justice and right to life for the unborn”.
It remains unclear, who in FYROM might be acting on behalf of the US-based organization.
The head of the women’s association, “Prestiz”, Masa Dimic, suspects that some religious organization might be behind the appearance of the posters.
“Women can and should decide for themselves about matters concerning their bodies and health”, she told Balkan Insight on Wednesday.
On Tuesday the FYROM Association for Free Sexual Orientation, MASSO, condemned the poster campaign as retrograde.
Najcevska said that the current legislation provided extension protection for women’s rights, but there was little public awareness in FYROM of the abortion issue in its wider context.
29 11 2007 Skopje _ Mystery surrounds the appearance of controversial anti-abortion posters in FYROM capital over the past few days, with no group claiming responsibility so far.
The poster, which says “Abortion is murder”, shows a foetus covered in blood on one side, and a smiling baby on the other.
It has spawned reactions of disapproval from some human rights organizations and experts, who have also voiced their concern that others have kept silent.
Mirjana Najcevska, a former head of the FYROM Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, told Balkan Insight on Wednesday, that this campaign went against women’s right to choose, and endangered their right to life and health.
“The absence of reaction of those who allegedly fight for gender equality and for women’s rights, is definitely worrying”, Najcevska said, calling on public institutions and human rights watchdogs to respond.
The Women’s Alliance of FYROM, the FYROM Women’s Lobby in the parliament, the municipal gender equality commissions and the national commission in the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy have all remained silent up to now.
Sources at the FYROM Helsinki Committee have told Balkan Insight they were investigating the matter, and would report on it later this week.
Najcevska said she did not believe that the idea of making abortion illegal would win widespread support in FYROM, but added that “bearing in mind the practice of political arbitrariness of the people in power, it will not be a surprise if one day we wake up with a law that bans abortion”.
So far no one has announced any moves to introduce draft legislation on banning abortion.
The main centre-right governing party, VMRO-DPMNE, has refrained from commenting.
The controversial poster displays only the web address of the US-based Center for Bio-Ethical Reforms.
On its site, the center describes itself as a “privately-funded, non-profit educational corporation” that works, “to establish prenatal justice and right to life for the unborn”.
It remains unclear, who in FYROM might be acting on behalf of the US-based organization.
The head of the women’s association, “Prestiz”, Masa Dimic, suspects that some religious organization might be behind the appearance of the posters.
“Women can and should decide for themselves about matters concerning their bodies and health”, she told Balkan Insight on Wednesday.
On Tuesday the FYROM Association for Free Sexual Orientation, MASSO, condemned the poster campaign as retrograde.
Najcevska said that the current legislation provided extension protection for women’s rights, but there was little public awareness in FYROM of the abortion issue in its wider context.