The screening of unborn babies for Down syndrome with a new national screening programme is further manifestation of a culture of death. It is a search and destroy programme that has as its sole objective the termination of the lives of unborn children.

Human life begins at conception and at that point the newly conceived life is endowed by its Creator with inalienable human rights, the foundation right is a right to life. Our human rights are both inalienable and universal. The termination of the life of the unborn child is a violation of the human rights of the unborn child. A child does not forfeit its right to life because it has Down syndrome. An abortion is the ultimate discrimination against those with a disability.

This is eugenics which proclaims that only the perfect have a right to be born. The screening programme is a further major step on the slippery slope. The government seeks to conceal the true purpose of the programme by calling it a “quality improvement” rather than national screening programme. The government states that it is providing a service to families by giving them a choice whether to terminate the life of the child with Down syndrome or to allow the child to be born. We should be aware that this is part of a strategy of social conditioning. Right to Life contends that the government has decided that children with Down syndrome are not valued or wanted in our community. Its intention then is to encourage families to abort children with Down syndrome. The insidious option to terminate the life of the child will ultimately become a duty to kill the child before birth.

With the acceptance of eugenics ultimately it may be expected that with the rationing of diminishing health resources that health care for the disabled will be restricted.

The screening programme denies that unborn children with Down syndrome have an important contribution to make to the family and society, they should be valued, loved and respected.

The government should withdraw the screening programme and promote a culture of life by ensuring that families that have unborn children with Down syndrome receive compassion and given all the encouragement, support needed to bring their child to birth. After the birth of their child they should be provided with the services necessary to assist them in providing for the special needs of their child.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson,

Right to Life New Zealand Inc.