Tag: midwives

Swedish nurse takes a stand on conscience rights

 If soldiers can object to using weapons, why can’t health professionals refuse to assist at abortions?

Mercatornet

Mariola O’Brien

In 2011, the European Council adopted a resolution that protects healthcare workers’ right to freedom of conscience regarding abortion and euthanasia. Sweden has signed this agreement. But reality paints a different picture. Out of the 47 member states in the European Council, Finland and Sweden are the only two which do not uphold freedom of conscience in practice.

Ellinor Grimmark, 37, is the first midwife in Sweden to report a hospital to the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) concerning abortion. She claims to have been discriminated against on the basis of her religious beliefs and moral convictions. Newly-graduated, she was fired from her position last summer because she refused to assist abortions. Even though there is a shortage of midwives at the moment, and even though she is willing to take on double shifts, she has been denied a job ever since. One employer had first agreed to hire her in spite of the “complication”, but withdrew the offer when her story began to spread in media.
Full Text

 

Code of Ethics for Midwives

Pursuant to Article 27 Midwifery Act

And Article 22 Statute of the Croatian Chamber of Midwives
Adopted 27 January, 2010

Several sections of the Croatian Code of Ethics for Midwives are relevant to the issue of freedom of conscience.  Theses are reproduced below in Croatian and English for the convenience of researchers.  For legal or other formal purposes, one should consult the original document and have it professionally translated. [Extracts from the Code]

Etički Kodeks Primalja

Na temelju članka 27. Zakona o primaljstvu (NN 120/08)

te članka 22,Statuta Hrvatske komore primalja

Nekoliko sekcije Hrvatskog Etičkog kodeksa primalja su relevantne za pitanje slobode savjesti. Teze su navedene u nastavku na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku za praktičnost istraživača. Za pravne ili druge svečane svrhe, treba konzultirati izvorni dokument i to profesionalno prevodi. [Izvadci iz zakona]

Midwife fired for refusing to assist in abortion

Hrvatski Ponos (Croatian Pride) Hospital,
Knin, Croatia

Lost her job in the Knin hospital: “They fired me because I would not participate in abortions”

Slobodna Dalmacija

Doctors and nurses in Croatia may call upon conscientious objection in situations when their religious beliefs prevent them from participating in medical procedures contrary to the postulates of their faith. One such situation is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy.

The conscientious objector, however, cannot be a midwife, at least not at the general hospital “Hrvatski Ponos (Croatian Pride)” in Knin because, like Jaga Stojak, they could lose their job.

Jaga Stojak (49), after 27 years of service, of which the last 14 was spent working as a midwife in the Knin hospital, received a dismissal of her contract on June 14 of this year, because she refused to participate in an abortion citing conscientious objection. “It was not the first time when I, as a practicing Catholic, refused to participate in that procedure. There have been many discussions and meetings at the hospital because there are more midwives who share the same opinion.” [Full Text- English; Croatian]

People need to be free to act on their conscience

Irish Examiner

Dónal O’Mathúna

CONSCIENTIOUS objection is a hugely important concept. On fundamental ethical issues, like life and death, people should have the freedom to act on their conscience.

This applies to those legislating on abortion and providing access to abortion. The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 allows conscientious objection, but in the most limited way. Its provisions are more restrictive than in many other jurisdictions, which carries a chilling message. . .

. . . Forcing people to violate their conscience risks bending or breaking the moral compass that guides them. Therefore, legislators should be free to vote on this legislation according to their conscience. And anyone working in hospitals providing abortions should be able to consciously object to being involved. [Full text]