In a press statement about the current debate on Bill 28, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said this discussion has brought to the fore the masculinist attitude and the intrinsically misogynist stance of those who are opposing the necessary changes to clarify the legislation concerning therapeutic abortion. The discussion is an emulation of a Xarabank style of discussion: superficial, bombastic and manipulated.

Carmel Cacopardo referred in particular to the misguided speech by the PN Leader Bernard Grech in Parliament earlier this week. “Instead of declaring where and how he did not agree with Bill 28 – as he is obliged to do – Grech has chosen to doubt the difficulties that a particular woman had found herself in, and to top it all tried to ridicule her. He implied that she is an irresponsible woman just because she travelled while she was pregnant.”

“Grech’s speech speaks volumes about his attitude towards woman. It shows disrespect towards a woman who expected by right to be given the necessary and timely medical attention, the norm in civilised countries  – which was denied to her. It reveals his general attitude towards women as an inferior gender that are not capable of taking their own decisions, even in serious matters that arise from medical problems during their pregnancy.”

“Either deliberately or due to lack of knowledge on the subject, together with others in his party and elsewhere, Grech is confusing the termination required for a non-viable pregnancy, because of risks to the health of the mother early in the pregnancy, with premature delivery that may also be necessary. He has stooped low by using the false far-right American trope of abortion ‘a day before’ delivery. This is a common fundamentalist device to demonize the decisions that women need to take in conjunction with the medical professionals when faced with very difficult situations.”

Cacopardo said that “we are aware of women – colleagues, sisters, relatives, mothers and friends – who have gone through the same ordeal as Andrea Prudente – who were left to wait instead of being given the necessary care considered basic in the civilized world. Health risks are an important consideration – whoever minimizes them is minimizing the woman’s right to protect their health.”

“Unfortunately due to misogyny, political and religious fundamentalism and negative attitudes leading many a time to not just verbal but even physical violence, many women in Malta are afraid to recount their experiences, let alone to institute legal challenges against the state to safeguard their rights.”

“While believing that discussion and debate are necessary – indeed these should have started ages ago – we declare our support in principle for Bill 28. Ethical pluralism is with us now, whether the fundamentalists agree or not. It is futile for certain politicians to attend activities, protests and vigils about violence against women and then in the hour of need ridicule women, more so those who are in a difficult medical situation,” concluded Cacopardo.

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Fis-siegħa tal-prova appoġġ għall-Abbozz 28

Fi stqarrija fuq id-diskussjoni li għaddejja bħalissa fuq l-Abbozz ta’ Liġi 28, iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo qal li din id-diskussjoni kixfet l-attitudni maskilista, u intrinsikament kontra n-nisa ta’ sezzjoni tas-soċjetà, speċjalment dawk li qed jopponu bidliet neċessarji għal liġi ċara dwar l-abort terapewtiku. Id-diskussjoni spiċċat qisha xi programm ta’ Xarabank: superfiċjali, bombastika u manipulata.

Carmel Cacopardo irrefera partikolament għad-diskors mhux f’loku tal-kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Bernard Grech fil-Parlament aktar kmieni dil-ġimgħa. “Minflok li Grech għażel li jgħid fejn u kif ma jaqbilx ma’ Abbozz 28, kif għandu kull obbligu li jagħmel, iddeċieda li jpoġġi fid-dubju d-diffikultajiet li sabet ruħha fihom mara partikolari, u ipprova minn fuq jgħaddiha biż-żmien. Tkellem dwarha qisha xi mara li għax tqila kienet b’xi mod marida tant li kellha tibqa’ ġewwa.”

“Id-diskors ta’ Grech jixhed attitudni li tinnega d-dinjità tal-mara li bi dritt ippretendiet kura f’waqtha u adegwata liema kura ġiet imċaħħda lilha. Jixhed l-attitudni tiegħu lejn in-nisa bħala speċi inferjuri, bħala li mhux kapaċi jiddeċiedu x’inhu tajjeb għalihom, anke f’materji serji riżultat ta’ problemi mediċi waqt it-tqala.”

“Flimkien ma’ oħrajn, Grech qiegħed, apposta jew sforz in-nuqqas ta’ għarfien tal-materja, iħawwad it-terminazzjoni meħtieġa ta’ tqala mhux vijabbli, ta’ tqala perikoluża għas-saħħa tal-omm kmieni fit-tqala, ma’ ħlas bikri, li jista’ wkoll ikun neċessarju. Qed jaqa’ għar-redikolu u jmexxi l-ħrafa ta’ abort ‘ġurnata qabel’ il-ħlas. Tattika komuni ta’ fundamentalisti biex jiddemonizzaw id-deċiżjonijiet li jkollhom jieħdu n-nisa mat-tobba tagħhom f’sitwazzjonijiet diffiċli li jiffaċċjaw.”

Il-Perit Cacopardo qal li “nafu b’numru ta’ nisa, kollegi tagħna, familjari u li għaddew mill-istess kalvarju ta’ Andrea Prudente, li tħallew jistennew minflok ingħataw il-kura meqjusa bażika fid-dinja ċivilizzata. Ir-riskji għas-saħħa huma konsiderazzjoni importanti – min jimminimizzahom qed jimminimizza d-dritt tan-nisa li jipproteġu s-saħħa tagħhom, permezz ta’ liġijiet li jagħrfu dan id-dritt bażiku f’kull pajjiż ċivilizzat.”

“Sfortunatament minħabba l-misoġenija, il-fundamentaliżmu politiku u reliġjuż u l-attitudinijiet negattivi u ħafna drabi anke vjolenza verbali, jekk mhux fiżika wkoll, ħafna nisa Maltin jew residenti f’Malta jibżgħu jirrakkontaw l-esperjenzi tagħhom u wisq inqas jiftħu proċeduri legali kontra l-istat Malti biex iħarsu drittijiethom.”

“Filwaqt li nemmnu li d-diskussjoni u d-dibattitu huma essenzjali, u nemmnu li d-dibattitu tal-lum missu beda jsir snin ilu, nesprimu l-appoġġ tagħna fil-prinċipju għall-Abbozz 28. Il-pluraliżmu etiku qiegħed magħna u huwa realtà, jgħidu x’jgħidu l-fundamentalisti fostna. Huwa inutli li ċerti politiċi jattendu għal attivitajiet, dimostrazzjonijiet u velji dwar il-vjolenza fuq in-nisa u imbagħad fis-siegħa tal-prova jiddenigraw lin-nisa, aktar u aktar nisa li kienu jew qegħdin f’sitwazzjoni ta’ saħħa diffiċli,” temm jgħid Cacopardo.