International Trends

The Slovak Health Ministry has rescinded a law that forced hospitals to provide abortions. Now they will have a "choice" as to whether to provide abortions. From the story:

For Slovakia, 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the legalisation of abortion beginning under communism. Since then, nearly 1.37 million unborn children have been aborted - 14,000 killed per year - a staggering loss as Slovakia's current population is only 5 million. "Right to Life" advocates launched Pravo Na Zivot as the first phase of a new national campaign to break the national silence over the issue of abortion.

Jana Tutkova, a spokeswoman for the Centre of Bioethical Reform (CBR Europe), earlier described abortion as "the most important human rights issue facing Slovakia today" and expressed her conviction that the law would be reformed once the public was exposed to the horrible reality of abortion.