Abortion is one of the most controversial topics in public life not just in America, but around the world.
Regardless of the political climate, global citizens are becoming more actively involved in their country’s abortion legislation.
In Slovakia, for instance, citizens have begun publicly protesting their government’s liberal abortion policies.
Abortion laws in Slovakia are relatively liberal in comparison to surrounding European countries like Poland or Malta, which only allow abortions in extreme cases involving rape.
However, women in Slovakia can obtain an on-demand abortion up until their 12th week of pregnancy. If health complications arise, they can get an abortion up until their 24th week of pregnancy.
But many of the citizens of Slovakia are conservatively-minded and are calling for abortion bans and restrictions.
In fact, about 50,000 pro-life protestors marched on the nation’s capital, Bratislava, earlier this year!
Many of the protesters carried signs that read, “A human is human regardless of size” and “Who kills an unborn child kills the future of the nation.”
They gathered for a day to show the Slovakian government that its abortion policies are not universally endorsed by the people.
The pro-life rally, the third of its kind within Slovakia’s borders over the last several years, was organized by Catholic groups in Bratislava as well as a major conservative political party in the country.
Pro-life protestors came out to raise awareness of current abortion laws and demand change. They encouraged government officials to reflect on the value of each human life.
“The life of every human is invaluable; therefore it needs to be protected from conception until natural death,” said the leaders of the march, many of whom are officials in the Catholic Church within Slovakia.
“Man has not given life to himself; it was given to him,” they continued. “We want freedom for unborn children to be able to be born and live free human lives.”
The protestors also recognize that liberal abortion legislation has been accompanied by a national shift in the understanding of marriage. The Slovakian government has also been contemplating a change in legislation surrounding same-sex unions.
Even though the nation approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in 2014, pressure from liberal groups and political activists has forced the government to publicly reconsider its stance on homosexuality.
The pro-life protestors called for the government to recognize and defend “the unique status of the marriage of man and woman as an irreplaceable bond” and to support traditional family values in its upcoming policies.
“[Slovakia’s government should] express disagreement with such documents of international organizations that in Slovakia interfere with the constitutional values of marriage, family, equality between men and women, and the right of parents to raise their children,” march organizers asserted.
The protestors recognize the importance of the family in public life and the integral relationships between marriage and abortion legislation in regards to the family unit.
The pro-life activists concluded their march by demanding a complete ban on abortions in Slovakia and unveiled a memorial plaque they intended to place in the SNP Square in Bratislava.
The plaque is dedicated to the memory of the 1.4 million humans “who were not allowed to be born” as a result of the 60-year law that legalized abortions in the former Communist Czechoslovakian state.
It was a poignant reminder of the cost of “pro-choice” activism and liberal abortion policies.
In response to the march, the conservative side of the Slovakian Parliament proposed a new abortion bill that would require women to view ultrasound images of their unborn children before seeking an abortion.
Additionally, the new bill stipulated a ban on advertising abortion in any form and sought to impose steep fines on medical practitioners who offered abortions.
Regrettably, Slovakian Parliament has overturned the bill, calling the ultrasound requirement “chilling” and “invasive.” Lawmakers labeled their anti-life ruling as “a victory for women and for reproductive rights.”
It’s clear that more work remains to be done in Slovakia, but the pro-life activists are up to the challenge. Pray for their work and for God’s will to be done in the nation of Slovakia!
