Hajja ta’ Kwalita ghat -Tarbija li se Titwieled (Published on the Times of Malta - 2-9-09)
To prospective Members of the European Parliament - Times of Malta 20-05-2009
META T-TARBIJA FIL-GUF TIEGHEK TKUN TIEHU D-DROGI, TIXROB L-ALKOHOL U TPEJJEP IS-SIGARETTI
When Your Unborn Child is on Drugs, Alcohol or Tobacco (13 mins)
The Secret Life of the Unborn Child
Communicating With Your Unborn Child
When your unborn child is on drugs, alcohol or tobacco
Submitted Feedback to Climate Change Consultative Committee website of the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs Website 11-02-09
Fetal Psychology
Mum love me… Mum don’t hurt me
Unborn children have rights too
Babies and substance abuse - 05-10-2008
PRAYERS ON THE RIGHTS OF UNBORN CHILDREN - Anglican Pastor Jeffrey Williams at Islamic Centre, Malta - 07-11-2008
Rights of the Unborn Child - An Islamic Perspective - 25-05-2007
Imam El Sadi Speech MUCM-WICS 7-11-08 CONFER on UNBORN CHILD - Islamic Centre Paola MALTA
Birds and babies in the EU - Times of Malta 01-02-2008
Malta Unborn Child Charter Presentation to Malta Archbishop Paul Cremona - 04-05-2007
Resolution on Abortion - published in Times of Malta 03-05-2008
To the Commissioner for Children - Ms Carmen Zammit - 20-01-2009
Il-Hidma tal-Moviment tingabar fic-Charter tal-Moviment dwar id-Drittijiet, il-Protezzjoni u l-Izvilupp tat-Tarbija mit-Tnissil sat-Twelid pubblikat fl-2007.
The Rights, Protection and Development of the Unborn Child in the Maltese Islands today - Dec 2002
The Malta Unborn Child Movement meets the Swedish Ambassador to Malta, Ms Ulla Gudmundson 5-10-2009
Il-HAJJA HIJA VALUR ASSOLUT - Arcisqof ta' Malta Pawlu Cremona - 07-11-2008
Pre-polluted babies - by Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement - Times of Malta 3-10-2009
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta - 6-11-09 - Inter-faith concerns for the unborn child - by Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement.
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - The Unborn Child - Messages by Members of the Hindu Community in Malta.
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Message by Leyla Brassesco Bahai Community in Malta
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Presentation by Students, Islamic School, Malta
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Presentations by Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu & Bahai Communities in Malta
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-09 - Praise God for Life - Words & Music by Joe C Aqulina Malta
Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - The Unborn Child - Catholic Social Teaching - Fr Edgar Busuttil SJ Malta
Celebrating the key value of human life - Times of Malta - Editorial, 7-2-2011, on Pro-Life Day in Malta
Jum il-Ħajja - Il-Hadd 6 ta' Frar, 2011 - Celebrazzjoni tal-Hajja - Diskors minn Ms Michelle Muscat, mart il-Kap ta' l-Oppozizzjoni
Times of Malta - Editorial - 7-2-2011- Celebrating the key value of human life
Jum il-Ħajja - Il-Hadd 6 ta' Frar, 2011 - Celebrazzjoni tal-Hajja - Diskors mis-Sinjura Catherine Gonzi, mart il-Prim Ministru, fil-Kon Katidral ta' San Gwann, Valletta, Malta
Unborn Children – The Common Concern of Mankind - 02-09-2009
Green Pregnancies - published in Times of Malta 23-07-2008

Hajja ta’ Kwalita ghat -Tarbija li se Titwieled (Published on the Times of Malta - 2-9-09)

Organizzata Mill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled - MMTT u l-Fergha Maltija tas-Socjeta Dinjija ghas-Sejha Islamika – Ghaqda fil-MMTT

Messagg ta’ Mons Arcisqof Pawl Cremona - Arcisqof ta’ Malta

U dan jaghmel li l-hajja hija valur assolut hiereg minghand Alla. Ma jiddependi minn ebda kunsiderazzjoni: la kif gie mnissel, la meta gie mnissel, la mir-rieda ta' dawk li kkongepuh. Id-dritt tieg]u gej biss mill-fatt li huwa ghandu l-hajja. Minn dak il-mument, id-dritt tieghu jsir daqs kull dritt ta' kulI persuna onra.

Il-Hajja hija valur assoulut

Fl-okkazjoni tas-Sena Ewropea dwar id-Djalogu Inter-kulturali, fic-Centru Islamiku ta' Kordin, nhar il-Gimgha, 7 ta' Novembru, saret konferenza dwar "Hajja ta' kwalita ghat-Tirbija Ii se Titwieled", organizzata mill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled, flimkien mal-Fergha Maltija tas-Socjeta Dinjija ghas-Sejha Islamika. Dan hu l-intervent Ii ghamel Mons. Arcisqof Pawl Cremona O.P. f'din l-okkazjoni.

"L-ewwelnett nixtleq nirringrazzja lill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija Ii se Titwieled, flimkien mal-Fergha Maltija tas-Socjeta Dinjija Islamika, li organizzaw din il-konferenza fuq: Hajja ta' Kwalita ghat-tarbija li se titwieled. Nixtieq nirringrazzja lill-Moviment Malti dwar it-tarbija li se titwieled mhux biss ghaliex ghamlu din il-laqgha, izda wkoll, ghall-hidma kollha taghhom jum wara jum biex jiddefendu l-hajja f'pajjizna. Huma qeghdin isiru vuci ta' dawk kollha li m' ghandhomx vuci ghaliex huma dghajfin, bhal ma huma t-trabi fil-guf.

Ahna nifirhu kull darba li naraw anka persuni barra religjonijiet principali li jiddefendu I-hajja fuq il-valur taghha stess, ghax jaghrfu li kull hajja umana hi prezzjuza.

Izda kull min jemmen f' Alla jhares lil hinn minn dak li jidher, g]aliex jara f'kull hajja umana l-id ta' Alla I-hallieq. Ghalhekk gejna hawn illum, Kristjani u membri tal-Islam biex niccelebraw il-hajja u lill-Hallieq li halaq lill-bniedem.
Qeghdin hawnhekk ghaliex ahna nemmnu li I-hajja ta' kull persuna, mill-koncepiment sal-mewt hija valur, il-valur fundamentali, li minnha johrog kull dritt fundamentali iehor.

Inkunu qeghdin inkunu konsistenti meta nghidu li l-hajja hija l-valur fundamentali tas-socjeta meta nuruha b'zewg modi. L-ewwelnett, billi nghozzuha, billi naghmlu dak kollu li hu possibbli biex nghozzuha u mmexxuha 'l quddiem.

It-tieni, billi nidddefenduha kontra kull theddida u allura nuru u nistqarru li hu hazin dak kollu li jmur kontra dan il-valur.

Ma nistghux hawn ma nitkellmux fuq il-kruha tal-abort, u nuru din il-kruha biex il-hajja tidher isbah. Sfortunatament, illum is-socjeta taghna tipprova tghatti dan billi tivvinta kliem iehor ghall-qtil: "termination of pregnancy" ghal qtil fl-abort, mercy-killing ghall-qtil ta' persuna li hija dghajfa bil-mard jew bl-eta.

L-ispirazzjoni kristjana.

Xtaqt Ii naqsam maghkom ukoll il-kontribut kristjan, l-ispirazzjoni kristjana ta' dan kollu.
Il-bidu tal-]ajja naqraw fuqu fl-ewwel kapitli tal-Ktieb tal-{enesi. AlIa ]alaq kolIox tajjeb, u fl-a]]ar jum, ]alaq ragel u mara, xbieha tieghu. F'dak il-mument stess huwa gholla d-dinjita tar-ragel u l-mara meta ghamilhom kollaboraturi mieghu fit-tnissil ta' hajja gdida: "Nisslu u oktru u mlew I-art" (1 . 28). U dan jaghmel li l-hajja hija valur assolut hiereg minghand Alla.

Ma jiddependi minn ebda kunsiderazzjoni: la kif gie mnissel, la meta gie mnissel, la mir-rieda ta' dawk li kkoncepuh. Id-dritt tieghu gej biss mill-fatt li huwa "hu" ghandu l-hajja. Minn dak il-mument, id-dritt tieghu jsir daqs kull dritt ta' kull persuna onra.

Ma nistghux inhalluh Ii jiddependi mir-rieda ta' haddiehor, inqas u inqas minn legislazzjoni li tiddetermina jew tillimita d-dritt tieghu ghall-hajja.

Ahna nifirhu ghax-xjenza u s-socjeta meta tidhol biex thares il-hajja, kemm bhala legislazzjoni biex thares lejn dan id-dritt, kif ukoll bhala possibbiltajiet lit-tarbija li jkolIha bzonn xi kura medika, jew lill-genituri meta jkollhom bzonn ghajnuna anki finanzjarja biex iwelldu u jghajxu lit-tarbija. Anki l-knisja u movimenti fi gdanha, u fost dawn il-Programm Hope mill-Fondazzjoni Gift of Life, joffru l-ghajnuna taghhom biex l-ommijiet f'sitwazzjonijiet difficli biex iwelldu tarbija, ma' jkunux wahedhom. Izda wara d-dnub dahal konflitt Ii ahna parti minnu anki llum: huwa l-qtil ta' Abel, l-innocenti, minn Kajjin, li kien immexxi minn interessi ohra. Il-kliem ta' Alla ghadu jidwi llum ukoll fuq kull qtil: "Lehen id-demm ta' huk qieghed jghajjatli mill-art" (Gen. 4, 10). Quddiem Alla, tal-ahhar, dawk li huma dghajfa, jigu l-ewwel. Il-Papa Gwanni Pawlu II fisser dan bhala glieda bejn il-Vangelu tal-hajja u l-kultura tal-mewt.

II-guf huwu s-santwarju tal-hajja.

Sidna Gesu Kristu dahal f'din il-glieda u ahna niehduh bhala l-Ghalliem u l-ispirazzjoni ghalina. Diga Gesu, I-iben ta' Alla, qaddes il-guf ghaliex huwa wkoll ghammar fil-guf ta' Marija ommu, u ferrah lil Elizabetta u lil Gwanni I-Battista bil-prezenza tieghu. Anki fl-guf it-tarbija hija ta' ferh ghal min jemmen fil-hajja. Il-guf huwa santwarju tal-hajja, u l-umanita' li tkun qed tmur kontra d-dinjita taghha meta taghmlu post ta' mewt u qtil.

Sidna Gesu Kristu ppriedka fuq il-valur infinit ta' kull bniedem quddiem Alla. Meta Hu sar bniedem bhalna, lilna ghamilna bhalu, niehdu sehem ukoll mid-dinjita' tieghu. Kif jghid San Pawl, fi Kristu l-lben ta' Alla, ahna nsiru wlied adottivi ta' Alla I-Missier: "Alla baghat lil ibnu, imwieled minn mara, imwieled taht il-ligi, biex jifdi lil dawk li kienu taht il-ligi, biex ikollna l- adozzjoni ta' wlied" (Gal. 4, 5)

Quddiem l-ghajnejn insara id-delitt tal-abort isir delitt mhux biss kontra l-persuna umana, izda wkoll kontra l-iben jew il-bint ta' Alla l-Missier.

Sidna Gesu Kristu dadal ukoll f'din il-glieda ghaliex ghadda mit-theddid tal-hajja ckejkna tieghu minn Erodi, meta kien ghadu tarbija, u ghaliex huwa stess fuq is-salib sar il-kenn, il-hajja ta' dawk kollha li jghaddu mill-qtil ta' hajja innocenti forsi kultant ghaliex huma skomdi. F'dawn il-grajjiet ahna nafdaw il-vittmi kollha tal-abort, u ta' kull qtil iehor innocenti, waqt Ii nwettqu l-fidi taghna li l-parti tal-hajja taghna li mhix f'din id-dinja, izda fi hdan il-Missier fl-eternita, ma hallihiex f'idejna, hekk li ma tistax tinqered mal-qtil tal-hajja umana ta' dawn it-trabi.

Jien nixtieq li nerfa' nwettaqkom fil-missjoni taghkom li tkomplu tifthu l-ghajnejn tas-socjeta taghna lejn dawn il-valuri sbieh ta' kull persuna, anki, u b'mod specjali, fil-mument tad-dghufija taghha fil-guf tal-omm, li jinkludi wkoll li turu l-kruha u l-konsegwenzi ta' l-abort, li tkunu qrib lejn dawk l-genituri, l-aktar l-ommijiet li qeghdin quddiem it-tentazzjoni li jtemmu l-hajja tat-tarbija taghhom, tghinuhom li jaghmlu ghazla favur il-hajja tat-tarbija, u tghinu fir-rikonciljazzjoni ta' dawk l-ommijiet li waslu biex jaghmlu l-abort, halli fl-indiema taghhom, u fid-dawl ta' Sidna Gesu Kristu, li hareg il-hajja mill-Mewt, jergghu jsibu valur gdid fil-hajja.

To prospective Members of the European Parliament - Times of Malta 20-05-2009

Published in TIMES OF MALTA - Wednesday, 20th May 2009

by Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement

The Malta Unborn Child Movement - MUCM - has been promoting the interests, and especially the healthy development, of unborn children in the Maltese islands and the EU for many years. The MUCM project is about green pregnancies, about loving and responsible care in the womb.

A short article in the health page of The Times (September 6, 2008) dealt with how mood in pregnancy impacts early childhood development, including development in the womb.

The Sunday Times of Malta (September 14, 2008) reported that Maltese psychiatrist Dr Anton Grech was involved, with other EU scientists, in studying the possibility that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with exposure to influenza before birth.

This subject was dealt with at great length at the Conference on Unborn Children by the Malta Union of Professional Psychologists (MUPP), an organisation in MUCM, in December 2006. For this purpose MUPP brought to Malta Professor Van Den Berg of the University of Louvain in Belgium.

Shortly afterwards the MUCM commissioned Dr Ethel Felice, a Maltese psychiatrist, to expand further on this aspect of this subject in another MUCM conference. This is why MUCM is putting great emphasis on the "sustainable development" of the unborn child in the womb.

On May 19, 2006, MUCM sent a digital copy of its first Charter on the Unborn Child to the EU Commissioner for Justice and Security.

The following month the Commission acknowledged in writing MUCM's contribution and commended it for it. MUCM delivered it again to the EU in greater detail in October 2007.

MUCM would like to work more with the EU. MUCM is part of the EU. The EU Commission asked for such collaboration from civil society organisations in the EU when it launched its communication Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child in Brussels in July 2006.

The drafters of the EU Charter on the Rights of the Child were advised by the Angelilli Report, commissioned by the EU Commission, that the Charter should be rooted in the values and principles laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The UNCRC, in paragraph 9 of its preamble, proclaims that: "Bearing in mind that, as indicated in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth".

The wholesome development of so many millions of unborn children in the EU, so useful for its healthy development, should be accorded top priority on the EU agenda and the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child. This is why it very sad that when one mentions the unborn child many talk only on abortion - both in Malta and in the EU. This is also wrong.

MUCM appeals to all prospective MEPs, in Malta and in other EU countries, to give their proactive attention and commitment to green pregnancies in all the EU countries. MUCM waits for the time when the EU too will set its vision along this road to have healthy successive generations, in all respects.

It seems the setting up, some months ago, of the European Parliament Members Working Group on Pro-Life Perspectives, headed by MEP Nirj Deva of UK, a former candidate to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the United Nations, may bring about the realisation of this goal sooner than expected.

META T-TARBIJA FIL-GUF TIEGHEK TKUN TIEHU D-DROGI, TIXROB L-ALKOHOL U TPEJJEP IS-SIGARETTI

DVD Script - Malti - 13-il minuta

MMTT

Li jkollok familja u jkollok tarbija tista' tkun esperjenza eccitanti u li taghtik sodisfazzjon.

"Illum it-tarbija veru qeghda taghti bis-sieq!"

Tezisti intimità u affettività, imhabba u sensibilità kbira. Imma sfortunatament din is-sensibilità tista' tispicca malajr jekk it-tarbija tieghek ma tkunx f'sahhitha jew kuntenta minhabba li tkun esposta ghall-alkohol, ghad-drogi, ghat-tipjip u sustanzi ohrajn li int tkun hadt matul it-tqala.

"Matul it-tqala jien kont ghazilt li niehu l-kokaina u domt nehodha ghal madwar tmien xhur waqt it-tqala tieghi u t-tarbija twieldet qabel iz-zmien. Is-sistema digestiva taghha ma kinitx ghadha zviluppat kif suppost, batiet mill-process tal-'withdrawal' li wiehed jghaddi minnu meta jieqaf jiehu d-droga, kienet tbati bid-dijarea fl-ewwel sitt xhur wara li twieldet, li matulhom kellha wkoll tibqa' l-isptar.

"Il-mara tieghi ma kinitx tpejjep hafna, forsi nofs pakkett kuljum. Meta twieldet it-tarbija konna ddubitajna jekk qattx kienet ser tkun normali."

"Ma kontx nirrealizza li l-ammont ta' alkohol li kont nixrob seta' johloq xi problema, imma qatt ma hsibt li t-tarbija seta' jkollha xi deformazzjoni jew li ma tizviluppax mentalment, kont forsi nahseb li setghet titwieled zghira jew li tkun tibki ta' spiss, imma qatt ma mmaginajt il-gravità tal-bicca."

Meta inti tkun tqila, gewwa l-utru tieghek tkun qed tikber bajda fertilizzata; din tkun qeghda tghum go qisu envelope li jkun fih sustanza fluwida, il-'fosdqa ta' l-embrijun'. Aktar 'il quddiem l-embrijun jibda jissejjah fetu. Hekk kif il-fetu jibda jizviluppa f'tarbija, jibda jircievi l-ikel minghand ommu permezz ta' organu li jissejjah il-placenta (jew is-sekonda). Dak kollu li jidhol fis-sistema tad-demm tieghek jilhaq lit-tarbija permezz tal-placenta. Dan jinkludi dak kollu li inti tiekol, biex ma nsemmux sustanzi kimici mis-sigaretti u sustanzi kimici mill-birra, inbid u xorb alkoholiku qawwi, u naturalment droga jew medicina, ibda minn aspirina u spicca minn dik li wiehed isib jixtri mit-triq. Meta int tkun taht l-influwenza tad-droga t-tarbija tkun hi wkoll taht l-influwenza taghha u meta int tohrog minnha, l-istess taghmel it-tarbija.

"Jien bqajt inpejjep sal-gurnata tal-hlas; it-tarbija tieghi qattghet gimghat shah f'inkubatur."

It-tipjip waqt it-tqala jkabbar il-possibbiltà li t-tarbija titwieled zghira u li l-piz taghha jkun inqas milli suppost u trabi tat-twelid li jkunu jiznu inqas minn 5 libbri u nofs normalment ma jkollhomx xaham bizzejjed biex gisimhom ikun jista' jzomm it-temperatura mixtieqa, u iktar ghandhom probabbiltà li jizviluppawlhom problemi tan-nifs u kondizzjonijiet li jistghu jikkawzaw hsara fil-mohh.

"Nixtieq li jkolli tarbija b'sahhitha imma digà ghandi tliet xhur tqala, u allura nahseb li issa huwa tard biex naqta' t-tipjip, veru?"

"Le, attwalment dak li qed tghid mhux minnu. Li kellek tieqaf tpejjep issa l-probabbiltà li jkollok tarbija b'sahhitha hija daqs li kieku ma kont tpejjep qatt. Tahseb li tista' tieqaf tpejjep?"

"Ghall-gid tat-tarbija rrid nipprova nieqaf!"

Monique twieldet minn omm li kienet tixrob b'mod eccessiv waqt it-tqala; ghandha problemi radikali serji; kellha tigi operata iktar minn darba; kellha problemi f'widnejha, f'imnihirha. B'decizjoni ta' l-awtoritajiet tal-municipju, Monique ittiehdet minghand ommha ghaliex ma kinitx kapaci tiehu hsiebha. Qeghda xi sentejn lura fl-istudji taghha u mindu kellha tmien xhur kien sarilha programm apposta ghaliha minhabba l-problemi li ghandha biex titghallem.

Is-"Sindromu ta' l-alkohol fil-fetu" jiddeskrivi d-difetti marbuta mat-twelid konnessi max-xorb ta' l-alkohol matul it-tqala. Dawn id-difetti jinkludu daqs zghir tat-tarbija, wicc deformat, organi li ma jkunux iffurmaw kif suppost jew li ma jahdmux kif suppost, movimenti tal-gisem mhux koordinati, mohh li mhux kapaci jirraguna kif suppost, eccitament u diffikultajiet biex wiehed jitghallem.

Anki 'drink' wiehed jew tnejn biss fil-gimgha jistghu jaghmlu hsara lit-tarbija fil-guf tieghek. Meta inti tixrob, kwazi l-alkohol kollu jmur dritt fil-fetu, imma peress li t-tarbija tieghek hija hafna izghar minnek hija tisker hafna iktar malajr minnek, u billi l-fwiet tat-tarbija tieghek li tkun ghadha qeghda tikber ma jkunx ghadu zviluppa kompletament, l-alkohol idum hafna iktar biex jigi assorbit u jibqa' fis-sistema ghal hafna aktar zmien.

"Mhux ahjar ma' tixrobx?"

"U le, ma nixrobx hafna jien! Xi darba 'l hawn u 'l hemm waqt xi party, imma xejn specjali. U mbaghad kulma hi birra! M'hu se jigrilha xejn it-tarbija! "

"Il-birra ma taghmilx hsara."

Fil-fatt m'huwiex hekk. Sfortunatament, li wiehed jixrob volum qawwi ta' alkohol darba kultant b'mod li jimtela b'livelli gholjin ta' alkohol f'daqqa, jista' jkun ta' hsara daqs meta meta wiehed jixrob l-alkohol b'mod regolari. Birra, xorb alkoholiku qawwi, tazza nbid, xarba maghmula minn tahlita ta' nbid u soda jew drink imhallat, kollha fihom kwazi l-istess ammont ta' alkohol, u ghalhekk il-birra u l-nbid m'humiex inqas perikoluzi mix-xorb alkoholiku qawwi. Il-missier ghandu wkoll ir-responsabbiltà li jaghmel minn kollox biex jizgura li t-tarbija titwieled b'sahhitha. Gie ppruvat li l-alkohol jista' jaghmel hsara lill-isperma tar-ragel, u dan jista' jirrizulta f'tarbija li l-piz taghha jkun inqas milli suppost. Jekk inti kellek habiba li kienet tixrob u kellha tarbija normali dan ma jfissirx li jekk inti tixrob it-tarbija mhux ser ikollha problemi. L-effett li jhalli l-alkohol ivarja bejn omm u ohra. Nghidu ahna fl-ewwel tliet xhur tat-tqala, ix-xorb jista' jaghmel hsara kbira lis-sistema nervuza tat-tarbija u organi interni ohrajn. Xorb fir-raba', fil-hames u fis-sitt xahar tat-tqala gie assocjat ma' zjieda fil-possibbilta' ta' korriment waqt it-tqala. L-uzu ta' l-alkohol fl-ahhar tliet xhur jista' jirrizulta f'nuqqas ta' zvilupp tat-tarbija. Ghalhekk anki jekk m'intix certa jekk intix tqila jew jekk tissuspetta li tista' tkun tqila, gib ruhek daqs li kieku inti tqila. Darba inti tqila, ma hemm l-ebda zmien fit-tqala li mhux perikoluz jekk inti tixrob.

"Hello dott, qieghed ikolli problemi biex norqod, tahseb li nista' niehu xi pilloli ta' l-irqad?"

Waqt it-tqala dejjem ivverifika mat-tabib tieghek qabel ma tiehu xi medicini jew pilloli li tkun xtrajt mill-ispizerija bhall-aspirina jew sostituti ta' l-aspirina, medicini kontra l-allergiji, dekongestjonanti, agenti li jrazznu s-sola, pilloli ta' rqad, jew anki medicini bir-ricetta.

"Bzajt li kien ser imut; meta twieled kwazi bzajt inhares lejh ghax bdejt nahseb ta' xiex stajt inkun kagun bil-medicini li jien kont niehu, u sa kemm kellu mill-inqas erba' xhur kull meta jasal il-lejl kont nahseb li kien ser imut u kull darba li kien jaghmel xi hoss, kont inqum biex nara x'gara, ikun xi jkun il-hoss, ghax verament kont nibza'.

Int taf x'effetti jistghu jhallu fuqek id-drogi, imma taf x'jistghu jaghmlu lit-tarbija? Taf kif jistghu jaffettwawha aktar 'il quddiem?

"It-tifla z-zghira tieghi dehret li ma gietx affettwata meta kienet izghar imma issa ghandha problemi ta' smigh; it-tobba m'humiex certi jekk hux minhabba d-drogi imma jien nahseb li iva u ghandha wkoll problemi ta' mgieba, impossibbli li tmur tajjeb maghha, u jghidu li dan huwa l-effett tad-drogi fuqha."

"Ahna 'foster parents'. Kellna lil Wayne minn mindu kien ghadu tarbija zghira. Huwa kien twieled minn omm li fiz-zmien li welditu kienet tiehu d-drogi. Il-Qorti hadet lil Wayne minghand ommu ghaliex ma kinitx kapaci tiehu hsiebu. Minn mindu twieled kellu hafna problemi bhal li jibki hafna, jaghmel ghageb mix-xejn, problemi ta' dijarea, xi granet ikun irid min jerfghu u xi granet ohrajn le, ma jorqodx sew matul il-lejl, issa li beda l-iskola qed ikollu problemi biex jitghallem, isibha hafna difficli biex jikkoncentra fuq il-bicca xoghol li jkun qed jaghmel ghaliex dejjem ihossu eccitat, jiehu l-medicini. It-trabi mwielda minn ommijiet li jiehdu d-drogi kultant isibuha difficli biex jikkontrollaw lilhom infushom."

Drogi, hemm dawk li ghandhom effett stimulanti (uppers) u dawk li ghandhom effett depressiv (downers), speed jigifieri d-droga amfetamina, kokaina, marijwana, angel dust. Id-drogi jzidu r-riskju li int titlef it-tarbija. It-trabi li jkunu esposti ghad-drogi meta jkunu gewwa l-guf jistghu jsofru minn attakk tal-qalb li jikkaguna hsara irriversibbli fil-mohh, hsara fil-pulmun, u organi li ma jizviluppawx kif suppost jew li jkunu deformati. Id-drogi jistghu jikkaggunaw korriment, is-separazzjoni tal-placenta minn ma' l-utru, li jista' jwassal ghal telf eccessiv ta' demm, u dan jista' jkun ta' theddida ghall-hajja ta' l-omm u tat-tarbija. Id-drogi kollha jistghu jkunu l-kagun li t-tarbija titwieled mejta. Ma taghmilx differenza jekk inti xxammem id-droga, jew tinjettaha, jew tiblaghha jew tpejjipha. Id-drogi kollha jinfdu l-placenta u jidhlu fit-tarbija.

"Mad-daqqa t'ghajn kienet tidher qisha tifla normali ta' hames snin, imma kien hemm affarijiet interni li wiehed ma jinnotax mill-ewwel, bhal-livell tal-komunikazzjoni bil-kliem li ma kienx ta' tifla ta' hames snin imma ta' wahda ta' tliet snin. L-imgieba taghha zgur mhix tal-livell ta' tifla ta' hames snin; ma nafx kif ser jirnexxilha tlehhaq fil-kindergarten. Ghadha taghmel pipi' fis-sodda; xi drabi anki matul il-gurnata taghmel pipi' fil-qalziet xi hames darbiet. Semplicement ma tistax tikkontrolla.�U dan hu l-effett ta' l-eroina."

"Ezatt meta twieled ma kinux jafu jekk hux eroina jew xi droga ohra li kont qed niehu jghidulha methadone; ma kinux effettivament jafu xi droga kont qed niehu, u ghalhekk ma hallewnix inzomm it-tarbija u mbaghad meta wara hadt it-tarbija d-dar bdiet spiss issir kulur vjola, bdiet thoss hafna bard, bdiet tirtoghod u tibki. Kont noqghod inbandalha l-hin kollu u nghidilha biex ma tibkix. Kont nipprova nkellimha u semplicement ma kinitx tkun trid tisma', kienet tibqa' tibki. Sakemm gurnata wahda hadtha ghand it-tabib u dan qalli x'kienet ir-raguni ghalfejn kienet qed iggib ruhha hekk."

It-trabi li jitwieldu minn ommijiet li jkunu jiehdu l-kokaina, l-amfetamina jew l-eroina jistghu jitwieldu f'kondizzjoni li ma jistghux jghaddu minghajrhom u jghaddu mill-process li wiehed li jiehu d-droga jghaddi minnu biex jaqta' l-vizzju, il-process tal-'withdrawal'. It-trabi li jitwieldu minn ommijiet li jiehdu d-drogi generalment ikunu nervuzi u jiehdu qata' hekk kif tmisshom jew anki ma' l-icken hoss. Skond studju li sar irrizulta li wahda minn kull sitt trabi li jitwieldu minn ommijiet li kienu jiehdu l-kokaina matul it-tqala tmut minhabba s-sindromu tal-mewt waqt l-irqad, xi kultant maghrufa bhala l-mewt fil-benniena.

"Ahna nixtiequ li jkollna tarbija b'sahhitha li nkunu nistghu nhobbuha u niehdu hsiebha."

Is-sahha tat-tarbija tieghek tiddependi minnek u mis-sostenn tal-missier. Inti tista' taghmel ezercizzi fizici, tiekol ikel nutrijenti. Ikseb kura ta' qabel it-twelid matul il-perjodu tat-tqala tieghek u b'hekk tkun qed izzid il-probabbiltà li jkollok tarbija b'sahhitha u smart, jew inkella tista' zzid ir-riskju li jkollok tarbija bi problemi fizici, emozzjonali jew b'diffikultajiet fil-kisba tat-taghlim, problemi li jistghu jdumu tul il-hajja kollha tat-tarbija. L-ghazla hija f'idejk. X'tip ta' tarbija tixtieq li jkollok?

Tony Mifsud
Koordinatur ghall-MMTT
Mob 7920 4840

----------------------------------
Core Group tal-MMTT
Assocjazzjoni tal-Midwives Maltin
Dipartiment g]all-Promozzjoni tas-Sa]]a
Segretarjat Assistenza Socjali - Azzjoni Kattolika
Kunsill Nazzjonali tan-Nisa

When Your Unborn Child is on Drugs, Alcohol or Tobacco (13 mins)

Video Summary

MUCM

This videotape explains the dangers to the unborn child when a pregnant woman smokes, drinks, or uses any kind of drugs. Several mothers, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, look back in horror at what their substance use did to their children.

Animation illustrates how drugs, alcohol and tobacco adversely affect the development of the fetus at each month of pregnancy, while emotional interviews with parents show the long-term psychological behavioural problems.

The programm discusses the effects of both over the counter and prescribtion medications, and street drugs such as heroine, cocaine, and marijuana.

Additional topics include Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, miscarriage, stillbirths and problem pregnancies which put both the mother and fetus in danger.

The program also points out that both sporadic use and consistent abuse can be damaging.

The discussion guide summarizes learning objectives and provides pre and post viewing discussion topics such as the contribution of fathers to a healtlhy fetus, the social and economic effects of havng an impaired child, and the benefits of discontinuing substance use after becoming pregnant (13 mins)

Video migjub Malta mill-USA mis-Segretarjat Assistenza Socjali ta’ l-Azzjoni Kattolika, li beda il-Moviment, u tqassam lill-organizzazzjonijiet kollha fil-Moviment
Il-Video jista jigi akkwistat mis-Segretarjat Assistenza Socjali ta’ l-Azzjoni Kattolika, Istitut Kattoliku, Furjana.

 
Tony Mifsud
Tel:  2122 0286
Mob: 7920 4840
E-mail: tonymifsud@onvol.net - sas@socialassistance.org

The Secret Life of the Unborn Child

Thomas Verny, MD, with John Kelly

The womb is the child's first world. How he experiences it, as friendly or hostile, does create personality and character predispositions.

Thomas R. Verny is a psychiatrist, writer and academic. Presently he is Adjunct Professor of Human Development at St. Mary's University. His international best-seller, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child (with John Kelly) has been published in 24 countries. He is presently working on a new book: Secret Lessons, based on revolutionary new discoveries in the brain sciences and birth psychology.
Synopsis ©1998 by Meryn G. Callander

By creating a warm, emotionally enriching environment in utero, a woman can make a decisive difference in everything her child feels, hopes, dreams, thinks, and accomplishes throughout life.

Verny is a pioneer in the field of pre- and perinatal psychology, a father, and psychiatrist in private practice. Here he presents a wealth of research indicating that the unborn child is a deeply sensitive individual who forms a powerful relationship with his or her parents--and the outside world--while still in the womb. While it is widely believed that the human fetus is a blank slate, lacking true sensation, emotional affect, or even the ability to feel pain, pregnant women through the ages have intuitively known what scientists have only recently discovered: that a mother's unborn child hears her voice and senses her love. The unborn child has significant sensory capabilities. He can see, hear, and feel.

For example, by the fourth month after conception, the unborn child has a well-developed sense of touch and taste. He can perceive a bright light shining on the mother's abdomen; if the light is particularly bright, he will lift his hands to shield his eyes. At five months, he will react to a loud sound by raising his hands and covering his ears. The unborn has the capacity to perceive and remember sounds of speech, to recognize a story heard repeatedly in utero, and to recognize his own mother's voice. He has formed the brain structures necessary for learning, and even awareness, sometime between the 28th and 32nd weeks of development.

Prenatal psychologists see the very core of human personality forming in the womb.

Studies show that this personality formation takes place through intensive communication between parents--especially the mother--and the unborn.

We know that most of what a mother eats, drinks or inhales is passed through her bloodstream into the body of her baby; maternal emotions are transmitted physiologically as well.
Stress hormones travel through the mother's bloodstream to the fetus, inducing the same stressful state in the unborn child. Babies respond not only to a surge of adrenaline, but also to mother's behavior.
When she pats her stomach, talks, sings, or dances, the unborn child knows that mother is actively there.
Communication also occurs on the psychological plane, with baby responding to mother's deepest thoughts and feelings.

This does not mean that every fleeting worry, doubt, or anxiety a woman has rebounds on her child.
What matters are deep persistent patterns of feeling, such as chronic anxiety or a wrenching ambivalence about motherhood.

On the other hand, thoughts infusing the baby with a sense of happiness or calm, set the stage for a balanced, happy, and serene disposition throughout life.
Because a child is the product of an unhappy marriage or the baby of a cool, ambivalent, or even catastrophic mother does not necessarily mean he will develop an adult case of schizophrenia, alcoholism, promiscuity, or compulsiveness. Nothing about the mind is that neat. But the womb is the child's first world. How he experiences it, as friendly or hostile, does create personality and character predispositions.

Verny also presents research indicating that the role of father is much more significant than generally accepted. His support is essential to the mother's--and thus, to their child's--wellbeing; what affects his sense of commitment to the marriage most deeply, is if and when he begins bonding with his child.
Profound parental and environmental influences also occur during and immediately after birth. The newborn responds best to gentleness, softness, and a caring touch--as distinct from bright lights, electrical beeps and the cold, impersonal atmosphere often associated with a medical birth. All this means that a mother's ability to remain calm during her pregnancy, to communicate a sense of love to her unborn baby, and to orchestrate a joyous, positive birth, contributes immensely to the emotional and physical health of her child for the rest of his life.

Fascinating research, replete with practical implications.
253pp · Paper $12.95
Note: After entering the Amazon site with the above link, if you click on any other links such as the book's table of contents, please come back to this page and click this link again just before you order (details). Thanks!

Contents
Home
Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children

Communicating With Your Unborn Child

by Cassandra Eason

In pregnancy and in some cases even before, quite a high proportion of mothers believe they have been in contact with their unborn children. Up to a point, they have the support of Professor Peter Hepper of the School of Psychology at the Queen's University of Belfast who has studied prenatal learning extensively. He found that babies whose mothers had regularly watched a television soap opera during pregnancy responded to the musical theme after they were born.
Cathy from Essex, England, told me, "During the last month of my second pregnancy, I noticed how the baby inside me would react to familiar TV signature tunes, kicking furiously and moving excitedly. After the birth of my daughter I was constantly amazed at her reactions, almost from birth and for the next four or five months, to hearing these familiar tunes. She would jerk her head towards the TV as soon as the tune started and stop feeding and turn her whole body toward the source of the sound. It was certainly evidence that babies hear and remember prebirth sounds. I only wish I had introduced her to something a bit more classical!"
Professor Hepper noted: "Recognition is undoubtedly based on hearing, and in all probability requires the storing of highly specific patterns of sound. Babies tested only responded to the Neighbours theme and not any other tune or the Neighbours tune played backward. We have demonstrated learning as early as 24 weeks and other research has suggested that the Neighbours tune soothed fetuses as early as 12 weeks. It is unlikely to be psychic communication between mother and fetus, mainly because it is difficult to see how this would occur. There is undoubtedly, however, some communication between mother and baby. For example, there is evidence that the baby responds to the mother or anyone else pushing on the abdomen and will push back. Exactly what the fetus feels or gets from this is unknown, but this certainly stimulates the mother into action and believing she is interacting with her fetus."
One of his projects has also shown that babies just one hour old already prefer their mother's voice to that of another woman. Another project showed that newborns whose mothers had eaten garlic during the last weeks of pregnancy recognized the same smell on cotton wool.
Cathy's story is explicable in terms of known science. Does this inevitably rule out any possibility of a psychic connection?


Two-Way Communication

Many women talk and sing to their unborn children throughout pregnancy. Some believe that the communication is a two-way affair and will "see" or "hear" the infant in the womb. Felicity, who lives in the Home Counties of England, is now in her fifties with a daughter aged fifteen. Before her daughter was born, Felicity picked up information about the unborn child that even the most sophisticated scans today could not record. She used to talk to her unborn child, especially about the infant's father and older brother. Gradually she realized the baby was returning the communication and was talking to her in her mind.
It was as if I heard the baby's voice and conversations took place. When I was about six months pregnant I asked the baby if she was healthy and she said she was. "Any blemishes?" I asked her. It might seem strange to persist when the infant told me she was healthy but first-time mothers are especially anxious. "Well," the baby told me, "I do have a birthmark on my heel that is shaped like an apple." When the baby was born she was absolutely perfect except for an apple-shaped mark on one of her heels. There were no such marks in the history of our family.

For Diane from Dorset, England, a reassuring message she interpreted as coming from her child helped her through a difficult labor. "I was in the hospital as I started getting contractions eight weeks early. I was put on a drip to stop them. I became very weak and anxious about my baby, as I also had a fibroid growing in my womb. I had developed a chest infection and was treated with large doses of antibiotics. One evening just as I was falling asleep I saw two large brown eyes looking at me calmly and happily telling me that everything was all right. I knew that it was my baby talking to me and I immediately felt relieved and calm. When my son was born six weeks prematurely, he was in good health except for a long-lasting jaundice and I felt a very strong bond with him though he stayed in an incubator for four weeks.

The link between a mother and her unborn child has been studied by counselor Rosalie Denenfeld who lives in Michigan and is the mother of two children. Her thesis studying the relationship between first-time mothers and their unborn children was produced as part of her master's degree in humanistic and clinical psychology at the Center for Humanistic Studies in 1984. She writes, "A woman who is pregnant for the first time seems to experience her relationship with her unborn child as a catalyst for personal expansion and an increased capacity for love. Because of the uniquely intimate physical unity between the pregnant woman and her unborn child there may exist a peak potential for interaction and communication on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. For some women such interaction facilitates a growing attachment between mother and unborn child, paralleling the physical development of the child.
"As the mother's body expanded, so did her personhood stretch and expand. Such expansion included an awareness of time as both limited and infinite. What feeds and empowers the attachment is the love which develops between mother and unborn child." She discovered that as the attachment grows between mother and unborn child, so the fear of the unknown, that is greatest with the first birth, diminishes.
Rosalie worked with ten first-time mothers using such techniques as focusing to discover deep levels of awareness within the body through intuitive means, keeping a journal, interviewing, art and music. The women were well educated, middle-class and married, and were experiencing a minimal amount of internal, family and social conflicts due to their pregnancies. She comments that their impressively clear verbal descriptions and artistic expressions provided a rich introduction to how pregnant women may experience relating to their unborn child.

On the spiritual level, Rosalie points out that "other than experiencing nine months in her own mother's womb, pregnancy is the only time a woman has the opportunity to experience a dramatic contrast with the separateness to which each of us is subject. Pregnancy is the ultimate intimacy possible between human beings. Pregnancy may be a vehicle meant to awaken love within women and bring more love into the world." Some of the women Rosalie studied found their bodies picking up their unborn babies' feelings. Gail explained, "Every once in a while, I have a feeling but I don't know where it comes from. And then I realize that I am not the one having the feeling."
The first time Gail experienced it was during a thunderstorm. "Where we live is on top of a hill, very open. Our bedroom has two huge windows and the trees are right outside the window, so it seems almost as if you are outside. And when there are storms, it feels as if they enter the room. One night I woke up feeling really afraid. There was lightning on the inside of the room and intense noise. There was so much noise from the thunder.
"I personally really love storms. I love to hear the thunder and I like to see the lightning. But I woke up and I was really afraid. I got out of bed and I walked around the house. I couldn't figure it out and suddenly I realized I wasn't the one who was afraid. It was the unborn baby. So I talked to the little one. I told the infant inside me that there was a storm and although the noise was disturbing, it was quite safe. The fear went away."

Several of the co-researchers experienced a sense of love coming from within the womb. Rosalie sees the most important implication of her work as helping mothers in disadvantaged circumstances, especially teenage mothers, to become aware of a prenatal bond, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually, so they may be more willing to change a harmful lifestyle that can be threatening to the fetus and also perhaps break out of the cycle of abuse that was reflected in their own lives. If a mother can relate to the fetus as a tiny person with fears and feelings, Rosalie is convinced that she will be less likely to smoke heavily and take drugs or excessive alcohol. What is more, the mother who is bonded to her fetus is more likely to take care of him or her after birth.
One of Rosalie's main conclusions is, "The first-time pregnant woman needs to believe she is capable of communicating with and positively influencing her baby. That belief must be strong enough to replace the need for visual evidence of communication that is available postnatally. After birth the infant's signal responses of body and eye movements will provide her with such visual evidence that she is indeed communicating with her baby. But during pregnancy satisfaction must come from the willing investment in the less tangible yet personally significant beginnings of a bond with her baby." 


Cassandra Eason is a Fellow at the Alister Hardy Research Center for Religious Experience in Oxford. She is the author of Psychic Families, The Psychic Power of Children, The Handbook of Ancient Wisdom, and Complete Guide to Psychic Development. An expert on mother and child bonding, she is the mother of five, and lives on the Isle of Wight. Book can be purchased (at a discount) by clicking on cover to the right, or calling 510-601-8301, faxing 510-601-8307, writing to Ulysses Press, PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703; ulysses@ulyssespress.com  Article excerpted with permission from "The Mother Link", published by Ulysses Press/Seastone Books.

When your unborn child is on drugs, alcohol or tobacco

DVD Script - English - 13 minutes

MUCM

To have a family and bear a child could be an exciting and satisfying experience.

"Today I can feel the child kicking!"

There is a close affinity and intimacy as well as a great sensitiveness. However, this very sensitivity fizzles out fast if the child is not healthy or happy because it has been exposed to alcohol, to drugs, to smoking or to other substances the mother takes when she is pregnant.

"During my pregnancy I had made a decision to smoke cocaine and I took it for about eight months so the baby was born prematurely. Its digestive system had not developed as it was supposed to, it went through a period of withdrawal that one goes through when one stops taking drugs, it suffered from diarrhea in the first six months of her life which she spent in hospital."

"My wife was not a heavy smoker - just half a packet a day. When the child was born we really wondered whether it would ever be normal."

"I never realized that the amount of alcohol I drank would create any problems, but I never realized that the child might have some deformity or that it would not develop normally. I used to think that at most the baby would be born small or that it would cry a lot but I never realized the full extent of the gravity of the situation."

During pregnancy, inside your womb there develops a fertilised egg; this swims in what can be described as an envelope that contains a fluid substance that is called the embryonic case. Later on the embryo begins to be called a fetus. As soon as the fetus begins to develop into a baby it receives all its food from the mother by means of an organ called the placenta. All that enters your blood system will be passed on to the baby through the placenta. This includes any food eaten, as well as chemical substances from cigarettes, beer, wine, hard alcohol as well as, naturally, drugs and medicines. When you are under the influence of drugs, the baby is under the influence as well and when you get out of the habit, the baby does as well.

"I kept on smoking till the day of delivery, till the very day of my childbirth; my baby spent whole weeks in an incubator."

Smoking during pregnancy increases the possibility of the baby being born small or underweight and babies born weighing under 5 lbs and a half normally do not have enough fat so that their bodies can retain the correct temperature, and they have a greater probability of developing breathing problems and conditions that can cause brain damage.

"I would indeed like to have a baby that is strong but I am already three months pregnant and I think it is already too late to stop smoking, right?"

"No, actually that is not true. If you were to stop smoking now, the probability of having a healthy child is just as good as if you had never smoked at all. Do you think you can stop smoking?"

"For the child's sake, I want to try to stop!"

Monique was born to a mother who used to drink excessively during her pregnancy: she has serious radical problems; she had to be operated more than once; she had problems with her hearing, her nose. The local Community Council decided that Monique should be taken away from her mother because the latter could not possibly care for her child. Monique is about two years behind her contemporaries and ever since her eighth month she had to follow a special study programme because of her learning disability.

The 'alcohol in the fetus syndrome' shows the defects connected with the birth of a child whose mother has been drinking during pregnancy. These defects include the small size of the baby, a deformed face, organs that do not develop the way they should or that do not function the way they should, uncoordinated body movements or that do not function the way they should, body movements that are not coordinated, a brain that does not reason the normal way, overexcitement and difficulties in learning.

Even a drink just once or twice a week can harm the baby in the womb. When you drink nearly all the alcohol goes directly to the fetus but because the baby is much younger than you it can get drunk much faster than you and since the baby's liver is still growing it cannot develop completely, the alcohol takes longer to be absorbed into the system and it remains in the system for much longer.

"Isn't it better not to drink?"

"O come on! I don't drink all that much. A drink here and there during a party but nothing too drastic. And then all I drink is beer. Surely nothing is going to happen to the child.'

"Beer does not do any harm."

Actually this is far from the truth. Unfortunately, when one drinks a great volume of alcohol once in a while in a way that he is suddenly filled with high levels of alcohol all of a sudden, this can be as harmful as drinking liquor on a regular basis. Beer, strong alcoholic drinks, a glass of wine, a cocktail made of wine and soda or mixed wine - all have the same amount of alcohol and so beer and wine are not less dangerous than strong alcoholic liquor. The father is also under obligation to do everything possible to make sure that the child is born healthy. It has been proved that alcohol damages the sperm of the father and this results in a baby that is subnormal in weight. If you had a lady friend who used to drink and who gave birth to a normal child this does not mean that if you drink the child will have no problems. The effects of alcohol on the baby vary from woman to woman. We can say that in the first three months alcohol can severely damage the nervous system of the baby as well as other internal organs. Drinking in the fourth of fifth or sixth month of pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of miscarriages. Drink in the last three months of pregnancy will bring about lack of development of the baby. So even if you are not certain whether you are pregnant or you suspect that you are pregnant, behave as if you are pregnant. Once you are pregnant, there is no period during pregnancy when it is not dangerous to drink.

"Hi, doc, I am having trouble sleeping. Do you think you can prescribe me some sleeping pills?"

During pregnancy you should always check with your doctor before taking any medication or pills that you buy at the pharmacy even aspirins or its substitutes or medicine against allergy, decongestants, cough medication, sleeping pills and even medication with prescription.

"I was afraid he was going to die: when he was born I was afraid to look at him because I thought worrying in what state I would see that creature because of the medication I was taking and till he was four months old I used to fear that he would die during the night and anytime he made a noise, I would wake up to see that happened, whatever the noise would be - I was really, really afraid."

You may know what effects drugs can leave on you but do you know what harm they can do to the baby? Do you know how they may effect the baby later on in life?

"My little daughter did not seem to have any ill effects when she was young but now she has problems with hearing: the doctors are not sure whether it is due to the drugs but I do think so. She also has behaviour problems, it is not possible to get along with her, and they say this is the effect of drugs."

"We are foster parents. We had Wayne from the time he was a small baby. He was born of a mother who used to take drugs during pregnancy. The Court took the child away from his mother because she was incapable of taking care of him. From the time he was born we have had a lot of problems like he used to cry a lot, make a fuss about nothing at all, he had problems with his bowel movements, there were days when he wanted to be held and other days when he did not, he had problems with sleeping during the night and now that he has started school he has learning problems, finds it hard to concentrate on anything he is doing because he feels so worked up and he has to take medication. Children born of mothers on drugs at times find it difficult to control themselves."

As to drugs, there are those that have a stimulating effect (uppers) and those that have a depressive effect (downers) : speed that is amphetamine drugs, cocaine, marijuana, angel dust. Drugs add to the risk of losing your baby. Babies who are exposed to drugs when hey are inside the womb can suffer heart attacks that will cause irreversible damage in the brain, damage to the lungs, and can be the cause of organs not developing as they should or that they be deformed. Drugs can cause a mis-delivery, the separation of the placenta from the uterus which can lead to an excessive loss of blood, which in turn can be a threat to both the mother and the baby. All drugs can cause the child to be still-born. It doesn't make any difference whether you just sniff drugs or inject it, or you swallow it or smoke it. All the drugs penetrate into the placenta and thereby enter into the baby.

"At first glance she looked like a normal five-yr-old girl, but there were many tings in her insides that one cannot see at first, as for example the level of verbal communication that was not that of a five-yr-old but of a 3-yr-od. Her behaviour was not definitely one of the five-yr-old: one cannot see how she will manage in kindergarten. She still wets her bed and at times she does it during the day-time - in her pants sometimes as many as five times. She has no control and this is simply the effect of heroin."

"At time of birth they did not know whether I was taking heroin or another drug which I was taking called methadone; in point of fact they just didn't know and so they did not let me keep the baby and when, later I took the baby home, she used to turn a violet colour, she used to feel cold a lot, she would shake and cry. I used to cradle her all the time and tell her not to cry. I used to try to talk to her but she simply wouldn't want to listen and kept on crying. Till one day I took her to the doctor and he told me the reason she was behaving that way.

Babies born of mothers who are on cocaine, amphetamines or heroin can be born in a condition that they cannot live without these drugs and they go through the process that any person on drugs who wants to stop them has to go through, namely 'withdrawal'. Babies born of women who are on drugs are usually very nervous, and are startled anytime somebody touches them or even at the least sound they hear. According to a study, results show that one out of every six babies born of mothers who were on cocaine during pregnancy dies due to the syndrome known as death during sleep, sometimes known as 'crib death'.

"We would like to have a healthy child that we can love and take care of."

The health of your child depends on you and from the support given by the father. You can do physical exercises and eat nutritious food. During pregnancy you can get all the advice and help you can and thereby you will be increasing the probability of having a healthy and smart child or else you can increase the risk of having a baby with physical as well as emotional problems or learning problems - all of which can last throughout the child's life-time. The choice is yours. What kind of child do you want to have?

Submitted Feedback to Climate Change Consultative Committee website of the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs Website 11-02-09

www.mrra.gov.mt/climatechange.asp

MUCM

From : Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement

To : Malta Climate Change Committee

On : 11/02/09

The first environment to man

Climate change and unborn children

Climate change in the Womb

 

In a review of a book Environmental Justice and the Rights of Unborn and Future Generations by Prof. Laura Westra Ph.D Professor Emerita (Philosophy), University of Windsor, Canada it is stated that: The traditional concept of social justice is increasingly being challenged by the notion of a humankind that spans current and future generations.

The book is a systematic examination of how the rights of the unborn and future generations are handled in common law and under international legal instruments. It provides comprehensive coverage of the arguments over international legal instruments, key legal cases and examples including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, industrial disasters, clean water provision, diet, HIV/AIDS, environmental racism and climate change.

In another review of a United Nations University book Environmental Change and International Law: New Challenges and Dimensions (UNU, 1992, 493 pages) it is stated: There is clear evidence that the approach adopted by the international community to environmental rights corresponds to that applied to human rights generally.

The international community has reached a stage where the individual is held entitled specifically to a natural and cultural environment ensuring the development of the different dimensions of his personality.

Recently a Maltese social worker highlighted the dangers for the young of energy drinks, especially mixed with certain other types of drink. He told youths that the drink cocaine is lethal for them. Yet, the social worker contended, our children are knocking it down... whatever they can lay their hands on.

At the same time a leading local economist drew attention to the fact that our early teenagers have been identified as among the most addicted to drink in Europe. Local demographic indicators show that Maltese teenagers, plus some others, are the bearers of a little less than one third of newborns, born out of wedlock, in the Maltese islands at present.

Paediatrician in many parts of the world have been saying that innocent children are being devastated by alcohol, drugs and tobacco; that binge drinking does a lot of harm to a developing baby and that society is today creating a group of children who will be unemployable.

A leading UK daily paper reported that research has revealed that babies in the womb were being exposed to cocktails of toxic chemicals and that their blood was swimming with dangerous compounds found in everyday household cleaners, perfumes and even pans and furnitureâ.

A consultant oncologist at Northampton General Hospital in the UK writing about exhaust fumes and their link to cancer declared... the most striking association I have come across is the link between the incidence of childhood acute leukemia and the parental exposure to exhaust fumes around the time of conception, as a result of damage to the sperm DNA. He urges the powers-that-be to think before routing large volumes of traffic through residentail areas.

The UK Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health indicated in 2005 that research had shown that gas emissions were the main cause of the incidence of childhood cancers. The Journal recommended that future research into the causes of cancer in children should focus on environmental exposure in the womb as well as during childhood. According to the same Journal the findings of the UK report was backed by ongoing research focused on babies in the womb in the USA.

On paper local legislation already protects unborn children from any type of harm...and death. However, no official statistics ever reveal what type of injuries are inflicted on unborn children by the misuse, or abuse, of harmful toxic substances - alcohol, drugs, tobacco - by parents before and during pregnancies, and by employers and/or managers – chemicals, radiation ecc -on the places of work. And the Health and Safety Authority never pronounces itself in this subject.

In a recent declaration on “current global issues” on the website of the Malta Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.foreign.gov.mt - unborn child) in a section devoted solely to children, the Ministry declared that “Malta will continue to actively support the protection of the basic human rights of children in the world particularly as laid out in the International Convention on the Rights of the child: the right to survival, to develop to the fullest, to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. Malta will continue to support international actions and policies that respect the rights of the unborn child and foster the best interests of children. In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will seek a proactive engagement in the activities of UNICEF and other international bodies and initiatives dedicated to the welfare of children.”

Please note the Malta Government's declaration, displaying its determination, that it will "support international actions and policies that respect the rights of the unborn child and foster the best interests of children."

This is why the Climate Change Consultation Committee of the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs should consider making provisions in its report to government on an eventual strategy on climate change also in the womb, the first environment to man, his first world.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I thank you for your mail. I apologise for the delay in responding. I assure you that the Climate Change Committee is assessing the feedback presented by the Malta Unborn Child Movement. The consultation process has formally concluded on 16th March 2009; and we have now start to formalise the assessment process.

It is the intention of the Committee to prepare a report on all feedback received and to subsequently present a report together with its position on such feedback.

The Committee plans to complete this work by the end of the Easter period. I thank you for your interest and participation in the consultation process.

 

Dr. David Spiteri Gingell

Chairman

Climate Change Committee

Fetal Psychology

Psychology Today, October 1998 - Source: Psychology Today, Sep/Oct 98, Vol. 31 Issue 5, p44, 6p, 4c.

Janet L. Hopson

Behaviorally speaking, there's little difference between a newborn baby and a 32-week-old fetus. A new wave of research suggests that the fetus can feel, dream, even enjoy The Cat in the Hat. The abortion debate may never be the same.
The scene never fails to give goose bumps: the baby, just seconds old and still dewy from the womb, is lifted into the arms of its exhausted but blissful parents. They gaze adoringly as their new child stretches and squirms, scrunches its mouth and opens its eyes. To anyone watching this tender vignette, the message is unmistakable. Birth is the beginning of it all, ground zero, the moment from which the clock starts ticking.
Not so, declares Janet DiPietro. Birth may be a grand occasion, says the Johns Hopkins University psychologist, but "it is a trivial event in development. Nothing neurologically interesting happens."
Armed with highly sensitive and sophisticated monitoring gear, DiPietro and other researchers today are discovering that the real action starts weeks earlier. At 32 weeks of gestation - two months before a baby is considered fully prepared for the world, or "at term" - a fetus is behaving almost exactly as a newborn. And it continues to do so for the next 12 weeks.
As if overturning the common conception of infancy weren't enough, scientists are creating a startling new picture of intelligent life in the womb. Among the revelations:  

• By nine weeks, a developing fetus can hiccup and react to loud noises. By the end of the second trimester it can hear.
• Just as adults do, the fetus experiences the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep of dreams.
• The fetus savors its mother's meals, first picking up the food tastes of a culture in the womb.
• Among other mental feats, the fetus can distinguish between the voice of Mom and that of a stranger, and respond to a familiar story read to it.
• Even a premature baby is aware, feels, responds, and adapts to its environment.
• Just because the fetus is responsive to certain stimuli doesn't mean that it should be the target of efforts to enhance development. Sensory stimulation of the fetus can in fact lead to bizarre patterns of adaptation later on.

The roots of human behavior, researchers now know, begin to develop early - just weeks after conception, in fact. Well before a woman typically knows she is pregnant, her embryo's brain has already begun to bulge. By five weeks, the organ that looks like a lumpy inchworm has already embarked on the most spectacular feat of human development: the creation of the deeply creased and convoluted cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that will eventually allow the growing person to move, think, speak, plan, and create in a human way. 
At nine weeks, the embryo's ballooning brain allows it to bend its body, hiccup, and react to loud sounds. At week ten, it moves its arms, "breathes" amniotic fluid in and out, opens its jaw, and stretches. Before the first trimester is over, it yawns, sucks, and swallows, as well as feels and smells. By the end of the second trimester, it can hear; toward the end of pregnancy, it can see.
 
 

Fetal Alertness

Scientists who follow the fetus' daily life find that it spends most of its time not exercising these new abilities but sleeping. At 32 weeks, it drowses 90 to 95% of the day. Some of these hours are spent in deep sleep, some in REM sleep, and some in an indeterminate state, a product of the fetus' immature brain that is different from sleep in a baby, child, or adult. During REM sleep, the fetus' eyes move back and forth just as an adult's eyes do, and many researchers believe that it is dreaming. DiPietro speculates that fetuses dream about what they know - the sensations they feel in the womb.
Closer to birth, the fetus sleeps 85 or 90% of the time: the same as a newborn. Between its frequent naps, the fetus seems to have "something like an awake alert period,' according to developmental psychologist William Filer, Ph.D., who with his Columbia University colleagues is monitoring these sleep and wakefulness cycles in order to identify patterns of normal and abnormal brain development, including potential predictors of sudden infant death syndrome. Says Filer, "We are, in effect, asking the fetus: 'Are you paying attention? Is your nervous system behaving in the appropriate way?'"
 
 

Fetal Movement

Awake or asleep, the human fetus moves 50 times or more each hour, flexing and extending its body, moving its head, face, and limbs and exploring its warm, wet compartment by touch. Heidelise Als, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist at Harvard Medical School, is fascinated by the amount of tactile stimulation a fetus gives itself. "It touches a hand to the face, one hand to the other hand, clasps its feet, touches its foot to its leg, its hand to its umbilical cord," she reports. Als believes there is a mismatch between the environment given to preemies in hospitals and the environment they would have had in the womb. She has been working for years to change the care given to preemies so that they can curl up, bring their knees together, and touch things with their hands as they would have for weeks in the womb. 
Along with such common movements, DiPietro has also noted some odder fetal activities, including "licking the uterine wall and literally walking around the womb by pushing off with its feet." Laterborns may have more room in the womb for such maneuvers than first babies. After the initial pregnancy, a woman's uterus is bigger and the umbilical cord longer, allowing more freedom of movement. "Second and subsequent children may develop more motor experience in utero and so may become more active infants," DiPietro speculates. 
Fetuses react sharply to their mother's actions. "When we're watching the fetus on ultrasound and the mother starts to laugh, we can see the fetus, floating upside down in the womb, bounce up and down on its head, bum-bum-bum, like it's bouncing on a trampoline," says DiPietro. "When mothers watch this on the screen, they laugh harder, and the fetus goes up and down even faster. We've wondered whether this is why people grow up liking roller coasters."
 
 

Fetal Taste

Why people grow up liking hot chilies or spicy curries may also have something to do with the fetal environment. By 13 to 15 weeks a fetus' taste buds already look like a mature adult's, and doctors know that the amniotic fluid that surrounds it can smell strongly of curry, cumin, garlic, onion and other essences from a mother's diet. Whether fetuses can taste these flavors isn't yet known, but scientists have found that a 33-week-old preemie will suck harder on a sweetened nipple than on a plain rubber one. 
"During the last trimester, the fetus is swallowing up to a liter a day" of amniotic fluid, notes Julie Mennella, Ph.D., a biopsychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. She thinks the fluid may act as a "flavor bridge" to breast milk, which also carries food flavors from the mother's diet.
 
 

Fetal Hearing

Whether or not a fetus can taste, there's little question that it can hear. A very premature baby entering the world at 24 or 25 weeks responds to the sounds around it, observes Als, so its auditory apparatus must already have been functioning in the womb. Many pregnant women report a fetal jerk or sudden kick just after a door slams or a car backfires. 
Even without such intrusions, the womb is not a silent place. Researchers who have inserted a hydrophone into the uterus of a pregnant woman have picked up a noise level "akin to the background noise in an apartment," according to DiPietro. Sounds include the whooshing of blood in the mother's vessels, the gurgling and rumbling of her stomach and intestines, as well as the tones of her voice filtered through tissues, bones, and fluid, and the voices of other people coming through the amniotic wall. Fifer has found that fetal heart rate slows when the mother is speaking, suggesting that the fetus not only hears and recognizes the sound, but is calmed by it.
 
 

Fetal Vision

Vision is the last sense to develop. A very premature infant can see light and shape; researchers presume that a fetus has the same ability. Just as the womb isn't completely quiet, it isn't utterly dark, either. Says Filer: "There may be just enough visual stimulation filtered through the mother's tissues that a fetus can respond when the mother is in bright light," such as when she is sunbathing. 
Japanese scientists have even reported a distinct fetal reaction to flashes of light shined on the mother's belly. However, other researchers warn that exposing fetuses (or premature infants) to bright light before they are ready can be dangerous. In fact, Harvard's Als believes that retinal damage in premature infants, which has long been ascribed to high concentrations of oxygen, may actually be due to overexposure to light at the wrong time in development. 
A six-month fetus, born about 14 weeks too early, has a brain that is neither prepared for nor expecting signals from the eyes to be transmitted into the brain's visual cortex, and from there into the executive-branch frontal lobes, where information is integrated. When the fetus is forced to see too much too soon, says Als, the accelerated stimulation may lead to aberrations of brain development.
 

Fetal Learning

Along with the ability to feel, see, and hear comes the capacity to learn and remember. These activities can be rudimentary, automatic, even biochemical. For example, a fetus, after an initial reaction of alarm, eventually stops responding to a repeated loud noise. The fetus displays the same kind of primitive learning, known as habituation, in response to its mother's voice, Fifer has found. 
But the fetus has shown itself capable of far more. In the 1980s, psychology professor Anthony James DeCasper, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, devised a feeding contraption that allows a baby to suck faster to hear one set of sounds through headphones and to suck slower to hear a different set. With this technique, DeCasper discovered that within hours of birth, a baby already prefers its mother's voice to a stranger's, suggesting it must have learned and remembered the voice, albeit not necessarily consciously, from its last months in the womb. More recently, he's found that a newborn prefers a story read to it repeatedly in the womb - in this case, The Cat in the Hat - over a new story introduced soon after birth. 
DeCasper and others have uncovered more mental feats. Newborns can not only distinguish their mother from a stranger speaking, but would rather hear Mom's voice, especially the way it sounds filtered through amniotic fluid rather than through air. They're xenophobes, too: they prefer to hear Mom speaking in her native language than to hear her or someone else speaking in a foreign tongue. 
By monitoring changes in fetal heart rate, psychologist JeanPierre Lecanuet, Ph.D., and his colleagues in Paris have found that fetuses can even tell strangers' voices apart. They also seem to like certain stories more than others. The fetal heartbeat will slow down when a familiar French fairy tale such as "La Poulette" ("The Chick") or "Le Petit Crapaud" ("The Little Toad"), is read near the mother's belly. When the same reader delivers another unfamiliar story, the fetal heartbeat stays steady. The fetus is likely responding to the cadence of voices and stories, not their actual words, observes Fifer, but the conclusion is the same: the fetus can listen, learn, and remember at some level, and, as with most babies and children, it likes the comfort and reassurance of the familiar.

   

Fetal Personality

It's no secret that babies are born with distinct differences and patterns of activity that suggest individual temperament. Just when and how the behavioral traits originate in the womb is now the subject of intense scrutiny. 
In the first formal study of fetal temperament in 1996, DiPietro and her colleagues recorded the heart rate and movements of 31 fetuses six times before birth and compared them to readings taken twice after birth. (They've since extended their study to include 100 more fetuses.) Their findings: fetuses that are very active in the womb tend to be more irritable infants. Those with irregular sleep/wake patterns in the womb sleep more poorly as young infants. And fetuses with high heart rates become unpredictable, inactive babies. 
"Behavior doesn't begin at birth," declares DiPietro. "It begins before and develops in predictable ways." One of the most important influences on development is the fetal environment. As Harvard's Als observes, "The fetus gets an enormous amount of 'hormonal bathing' through the mother, so its chronobiological rhythms are influenced by the mother's sleep/wake cycles, her eating patterns, her movements." 
The hormones a mother puts out in response to stress also appear critical. DiPietro finds that highly pressured mothers-to-be tend to have more active fetuses--and more irritable infants. "The most stressed are working pregnant women," says DiPietro. "These days, women tend to work up to the day they deliver, even though the implications for pregnancy aren't entirely clear yet. That's our cultural norm, but I think it's insane." 
Als agrees that working can be an enormous stress, but emphasizes that pregnancy hormones help to buffer both mother and fetus. Individual reactions to stress also matter. "The pregnant woman who chooses to work is a different woman already from the one who chooses not to work," she explains. 
She's also different from the woman who has no choice but to work. DiPietro's studies show that the fetuses of poor women are distinct neurobehaviorally-less active, with a less variable heart rate--from the fetuses of middle-class women. Yet "poor women rate themselves as less stressed than do working middle-class women," she notes. DiPietro suspects that inadequate nutrition and exposure to pollutants may significantly affect the fetuses of poor women.
Stress, diet, and toxins may combine to have a harmful effect on intelligence. A recent study by biostatistician Bernie Devlin, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, suggests that genes may have less impact on IQ than previously thought and that the environment of the womb may account for much more. "Our old notion of nature influencing the fetus before birth and nurture after birth needs an update," DiPietro insists. "There is an antenatal environment, too, that is provided by the mother."
  
Parents-to-be who want to further their unborn child's mental development should start by assuring that the antenatal environment is wellnourished, low-stress, drug-free. Various authors and "experts" also have suggested poking the fetus at regular intervals, speaking to it through a paper tube or "pregaphone," piping in classical music, even flashing lights at the mother's abdomen. 
Does such stimulation work? More importantly: Is it safe? Some who use these methods swear their children are smarter, more verbally and musically inclined, more physically coordinated and socially adept than average. Scientists, however, are skeptical. 
"There has been no defended research anywhere that shows any enduring effect from these stimulations," asserts Filer. "Since no one can even say for certain when a fetus is awake, poking them or sticking speakers on the mother's abdomen may be changing their natural sleep patterns. No one would consider poking or prodding a newborn baby in her bassinet or putting a speaker next to her ear, so why would you do such a thing with a fetus?" 
Als is more emphatic. "My bet is that poking, shaking, or otherwise deliberately stimulating the fetus might alter its developmental sequence, and anything that affects the development of the brain comes at a cost." 
Gently talking to the fetus, however, seems to pose little risk. Fifer suggests that this kind of activity may help parents as much as the fetus. "Thinking about your fetus, talking to it, having your spouse talk to it, will all help prepare you for this new creature that's going to jump into your life and turn it upside down," he says--once it finally makes its anti-climactic entrance. 
 
Copyright of Psychology Today is the property of Sussex Publishers Inc. and its content may not be copied without the copyright holder's express written permission except for the print or download capabilities of the retrieval software used for access. This content is intended solely for the use of the individual user.

Mum love me… Mum don’t hurt me

Pro-life Day (Sunday 5th February, 2006) - This article appeared in the Sunday Times of Malta at the same time.

Tony Mifsud

The womb is the child's first world

Thomas Verny, a pioneer in the field of pre- and perinatal psychology, a father, a psychiatrist and  professor of human development at St. Mary's University in the USA, in his book “The Secret Life of the Unborn Child” says that by creating a warm emotionally enriching environment in utero, a woman can make a decisive difference in everything her child feels, hopes, dreams, thinks, and accomplishes throughout life.

Verny says that the unborn child is a deeply sensitive individual who forms a powerful relationship with his or her parents, and the outside world, while still in the womb.

While it is widely believed that the human fetus is a blank slate, lacking true sensation, emotional affect, or even the ability to feel pain, pregnant women through the ages have intuitively known what scientists have only recently discovered: that a mother's unborn child hears her voice and senses her love. The unborn child has significant sensory capabilities. He can see, hear, and feel.

By the fourth month after conception the unborn child has a well-developed sense of touch and taste. He can perceive a bright light shining on the mother's abdomen; if the light is particularly bright, he will lift his hands to shield his eyes. At five months, he will react to a loud sound by raising his hands and covering his ears.

The unborn has the capacity to perceive and remember sounds of speech, to recognize a story heard repeatedly in utero, and to recognize his own mother's voice. He has formed the brain structures necessary for learning, and even awareness, sometime between the 28th and 32nd weeks of development.

Prenatal psychologists see the very core of human personality forming in the womb.

Studies show that this personality formation takes place through intensive communication between parents, especially the mother, and the unborn.

We know that most of what a mother eats, drinks or inhales is passed through her bloodstream into the body of her baby; maternal emotions are transmitted physiologically as well.

Stress hormones travel through the mother's bloodstream to the fetus, inducing the same stressful state in the unborn child.

Babies respond not only to a surge of adrenaline, but also to mother's behavior.

When she pats her stomach, talks, sings, or dances, the unborn child knows that mother is actively there.

Communication also occurs on the psychological plane, with baby responding to mother's deepest thoughts and feelings.

This does not mean that every fleeting worry, doubt, or anxiety a woman has rebounds on her child.

What matters are deep persistent patterns of feeling, such as chronic anxiety or a wrenching ambivalence about motherhood.

On the other hand, thoughts infusing the baby with a sense of happiness or calm, set the stage for a balanced, happy, and serene disposition throughout life.

Because a child is the product of an unhappy marriage or the baby of a cool, ambivalent, or even catastrophic mother does not necessarily mean he will develop an adult case of schizophrenia, alcoholism, promiscuity, or compulsiveness. Nothing about the mind is that neat. But the womb is the child's first world. How he experiences it, as friendly or hostile, does create personality and character predispositions.

Verny also presents research indicating that the role of father is much more significant than generally accepted. His support is essential to the mother's, and thus, to their child's wellbeing; what affects his sense of commitment to the marriage most deeply, is if and when he begins bonding with his child.

Profound parental and environmental influences also occur during and immediately after birth. The newborn responds best to gentleness, softness, and a caring touch, as distinct from bright lights, electrical beeps and the cold, impersonal atmosphere often associated with a medical birth. All this means that a mother's ability to remain calm during her pregnancy, to communicate a sense of love to her unborn baby, and to orchestrate a joyous, positive birth, contributes immensely to the emotional and physical health of her child for the rest of his life.

Drunk for Life

 

On the other hand there are dangers to the unborn child when a pregnant woman smokes, drinks, or uses any kind of drugs. Several mothers have been known to look back in horror at what their substance use did to their children. Drugs, alcohol and tobacco adversely affect the development of the unborn child at each month of pregnancy.

Emotional interviews with parents have shown the long-term psychological and behavioural problems of drugs on born children. These can be prescribed drugs, drugs supplied over the counter or obtained in the street, such as heroine, cocaine, and marijuana. Both sporadic use and consistent abuse can be damaging to the mother and the child, before and after birth.

With every sip that the mother takes from the icy can the tiny baby growing inside her belly becomes more and more drunk.

One mother, 29, knew that as a pregnant woman she shouldn't drink. But she had drunk during her previous pregnancies and each of those babies looked OK to her. So she continued to drink. When she felt as if she'd had too much beer and was about to pass out, she used cocaine, so she could drink some more.

As the mother got more and more drunk, so did her child in her womb. Doctors know that in these conditions the child starts having seizures and may have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the debilitating syndrome, the leading, yet preventable, cause of mental retardation. FAS can also cause brain-damage for life. When crack cocaine was introduced doctors were terrified of its impact on unborn children. Yet studies have show alcohol is more damaging than any other drug and that it is the most-destructive drug to a developing child. It is known that it is more destructive than heroin, more destructive than crack, and more destructive than cocaine. Yet it's a legal substance everywhere. It's socially acceptable everywhere.

Ironically society is instantly critical of a woman who would damage her baby with illegal drugs but the two substances that do the most damage to the baby are alcohol and nicotine.

William Chambless, development director of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Washington, D.C., says that millions of dollars in research has not found a level of alcohol that is safe for an unborn child. "There are tens of thousands of kids with FAS who drank in the womb," he said, "because they couldn't say '`no' when Mom picked up the bottle."

Pediatrician in many parts of the world contend that innocent children are being devastated by alcohol; that binge drinking does a lot of harm to a developing baby and that society is today creating a group of children who will be unemployable. They become adults who cannot function. Prenatal alcohol exposure is a major cause of destroyed human potential for an enormous group of people.

Dr. Louis Deguara, Minister of Health, addressing a conference on the well-being of the unborn child in February 2005 said that he was very apprehensive about the harm done to mothers and their unborn children because of alchohol drinking. Citing the Health Behaviour of School-aged Children Survey held in Malta, other European Countries and the USA he showed that Maltese youth are amongst the biggest consumers of alcohol. A very alarming revelation indicating very bad prospects for present and future unborn children in the Maltese islands. It is not known if any studies have been carried out in Malta to establish the connection between drinking, especially amongst young people, and its effects on newborns.

The Minister declared that the Maltese has a special prediliction for their children and that they normally changed their live styles upon getting pregnant. It is not known whether this is a gratuitous statement or an established fact. He cited Maltese mothers saying they give up smoking upon getting pregnant. Rightly so he said he would rather hear them say they quit smoking and alcohol altogether.

In this connection the contribution of fathers to a healtlhy child in the womb, the social and economic effects of havng an impaired child, and the benefits of discontinuing substance use after becoming pregnant need to be kept in constant consideration by would-be mothers and fathers, in marriage and out of it.  

Anxiety and Stress

 

Professor Bea Van den Bergh of the University of Louvain in Belgium was brought to Malta by the Malta Union of Psychologists  in December 2004 to relate on her studies about whether high maternal anxiety during pregnancy enhances the offspring’s susceptibility for childhood disorders and whether specific prenatal vulnerability periods exist

Anxiety at 12 to 22 weeks postmenstrual age turned out to be a significant independent predictor whereas anxiety at 32 to 40 weeks was not. It was established that results are consistent with a fetal programming hypothesis.

The role of the family

In February 2005 during the Conference on the Well-Being of the Unborn Child organized by the Movement for the Rights, Protection and Development of the Unborn Child in the Maltese Islands , which today consists of 41 national organizations, and the Health Promotion Department , the unborn child was considered either a precious gift or an unwanted child by his parents. It was pointed out that stress is inevitably connected with pregnancy outside marriage.

Reference was made to the sterling services given to teenage pregnant mothers by the Unit Ghozza of the Education Division  and Dar “Guzeppa Debono” of Gozo  . An appeal was made for more educational programmes for adults, especially during the Cana Movement  courses for engaged couples, on the harmful effects of stress and anxiety on the unborn child, especially during the 12th and 22nd weeks of pregnancy.

The mixed seminars for boys and girls secondary schools organized by the Personal and Social Development Unit of the Education Division  were cited as very good educational progammmes for youths. A strong appeal came out of the conference to strengthen this unit.

The role of civil society

The conference noted that society has a great role to play to increase awareness about the rights, protection and development of the unborn child, especially among Maltese politicians, about the values of life from its beginning, the family and the roles of the individual members of the family.

Family-friendly measures are called for to encourage fathers to take their responsibiities more seriously in this regard.

Fathers and mothers have to realize that networking and interdependence are new names of the game, and so they have to share family responsibilities in a more equitable way.

Grandparents, who so far are rendering very valuable child minding services to working parents will not be able, any more, to carry out these roles as they themselves are increasingly remaining active in old age in one way or another. In these new circumstances anxiety and stress amongst wiorking parents are bound to increase.

Counselling services are called for especially when parents find themselves faced with moral and ethical questions which the medical profession cannot answer, especially when faced with the prospects, or the realities, of a child, even an unborn child, with physical or mental disabliities.

This is where the media can play a very important role in increasing awareness of the rights, and needs, of unborn children and in promoting meaningful solutions. A code of ethics can help the media promote the culture of life and assist it in desisiting from adopting marketing praticies which devalue life.

The conference showed its concern, and also suggested careful inquiry, into why the rate of caeserian section and induced birth in Malta seem to be above those established by the World Health Organisation.

 

The role of the workplace

 

Pregnancy is considered as a normal physiological process in a woman’s life. At this state a woman conceives her infant and nourishes and provides a safe environment within her body until the full term of pregnancy. During the post-partum period this maternal care is carried out in a more direct way especially through lactation.

During the stages of pregnancy there are certain changes which are brought
about by the hormonal change occurring within the woman’s body. The woman has to adapt herself and sometimes modify her usual routine and activity in relation to her place of work and her home. 

Many consider that in present-day Maltese society certain family values which were regarded as sacred and untouchable are no longer so; this might be a result of the attitudes many people are adopting in relation to marriage and the rearing of children.

The financial burden that young couples are facing in order to buy their home or flat is a stark reality This situation is influencing the way they prioritise their projections in relation to their family.  

The need for the mother to stay at home and leave her job when she discovers that she is pregnant is being considered by many a luxury which is afforded by a few women.

In these new circumstances it is not clear if the female pregnant workforce is aware of the stressful environment at the places of work. This might be present in different ways such as radiation, long standing hours, longer working hours, and the handling and lifting of bulky or heavy materials.   

The awareness of the woman’s right to modify her duties and eliminate the stressful elements around her is to be respected by employers and managers alike and not regarded as an excuse to discharge the employee.

In this connection the trade unions have the duty, and the means, to empower their members to be more aware of the need to reduce or eliminate stress or hazardous situations affecting a pregnant woman as this will directly protect both the woman and her unborn child.

The rights of the child in Maltese legislation should be updated and implemented in relation to the concept of a family-work balance. Labour and industrial legislation, in particular, needs to be updated also to uphold the rights of unborn children for protection from harmful substances on the places of work, and for wholesome development.

Structures, like a family unit, can provide professional people who will work with families in order to monitor developments and assist them in their needs..

A family unit can work for the provision of support services, especially child care centers, both by the state and by the private sector. It can include family nurses in an expanded community health service modelled on the community health visitor. It can also work for more accessibility to affordable social housing

 

A National Plan

 

A national plan in needed by which the government, the opposition, the trade unions and civil society  will work closely with the professional bodies to form policies and enact laws which will protect workers and their unborn children and strengthen and support Maltese and Gozitan families.

The formulation of a strategic plan will help all those working in this field to find a balance between the needs of work and the family according to the resources of the land.

Member Organizations in the Movement for the Rights, Protection & Development of the Unborn Child

Tony Mifsud D.S.S. (Oxon.) is a Social Worker, Coordinator of the Movement for the Rights, Protection and Development of the Unborn Child and Consultant to the Social Assistance Secretariat of the Malta Catholic Action, the Founder of the Movement.

Unborn children have rights too

Tuesday, 20th May 2008

Tony Mifsud, coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement, Fgura

When commenting on the resolution on abortion in Strasbourg in his contribution to The Times (May 3) Emy Bezzina made a number of gratuitous statements about the rights of women to have abortions.

He did not make reference to the fact that abortion is not only about the condition of women but also about the condition of the unborn child women carry in their womb. An unborn child is not a wart, or a cancerous growth, which all women have every a right to remove from their body.

He is a human person and, in Malta, has the right to life which is protected by Maltese laws. These are the provisions against abortion in the criminal code of more than 100 years ago, the Children and Young Persons Act of 1980, the Commissioner of Children Act of 2003, and the Domestic Violence Act of 2005.

The Domestic Violence Law specifically includes the unborn child as "a member of the household", as any battered woman, to be protected by law from "any" type of violence.

That includes abortion, which is the worst type of violence against any unborn child.

That the police have so far not used the provisions of this Act to protect also the unborn child from "any" type of violence in Malta, including incitement to violent action, through abortion, to kill an unborn child, says something about law enforcement in Malta and not, as Dr Bezzina asserts, that "Malta has not the slightest right or authority to prevent abortions from happening".

In the past few years Aġenzija Appoġġ, not infrequently with the physical presence, and at times the active assistance, of the police used the provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act of 1980 to issue more than 200 care orders to remove children from the care of their parents because of grave neglect or serious abuse, of any kind.

These measures do not make Malta a "backward" country, or a police state. They show the very high regard the Maltese people have for their children, "before as well as after birth" as proclaimed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) of 1989.

Dr Bezzina mentions the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

He seems to be oblivious to the proposal made to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the EU in September 2007 by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality towards the drafting of the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child.

The Committee proposed that the family environment should provide a favourable framework for protecting children's rights and that the EU Charter should be rooted in the values and principles laid down in the UNCRC.

The UNCRC, in paragraph 9 of its preamble, proclaims that "the child..needs..appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth".

Abortions abroad also can be prevented because the unborn child has a right to life, wherever. It can be difficult, agonising and traumatic to prevent a woman from commiting an abortion by the force of law to protect the life of the unborn child.

It is equally difficult, agonising and traumatic, though, to issue care orders.

It should be incumbent on Maltese society to invest in a massive educational and promotional campaign to convince women comtemplating an abortion to use the very compassionate, professional counselling, therapeutic, medical and social work services, like fostering and adoption, as alternatives to abortion.

Aġenzija Appoġġ and the Gift of Life Foundation, through its programme HOPE, already provide these services.

As an eloquent lawyer Dr Bezzina could start talking and writing on the special privilege women enjoy when giving life, till birth, to their unborn children.

Babies and substance abuse - 05-10-2008

Sunday, 5th October 2008

Tony Mifsud, co-ordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement, Floriana

Lino Spiteri (The Sunday Times, September 7) applauded Anthony Girard, a social worker, for making it his mission to highlight the dangers of energy drinks, especially mixed with other types of drink. Mr Girard has told youths that the drink Cocaine is lethal. So has Joe Gerada, social worker and CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services. Yet, as Mr Girard contends, "our children are knocking down... whatever they can lay their hands on".

Mr Spiteri also drew attention to another fact now known to all, namely that "our early teenagers have been identified as among the most addicted to drink in Europe."

Our teenagers, plus some others, have also been identified as the bearers of a little less than a third of newborns born out of wedlock on the Maltese islands.

Many in Malta know the dangers to the unborn child when a pregnant woman smokes, drinks or uses any kind of drugs.

Today we also have sufficient information, available to youths, how drugs, alcohol and tobacco adversely affect the development of the foetus. They cause miscarriages, still-births, and problems which put both the mother and foetus in danger.

Our youths should also know that sporadic use and consistent abuse can be damaging.

The Malta Unborn Child Movement (MUCM) and the Health Promotion Department, an organisation in MUCM, is promoting this kind of awareness. Yet who is listening? Who cares? asks Mr Spiteri. The Commissioner of Children is listening, he says, and she intends to call a national forum to deal with these issues. MUCM, made up of 45 Maltese organisations, agrees with Mr Spiteri.

The Commissioner, a social worker, is listening. Like her predecessor, she has already supported the formative and preventive social action project of MUCM about the rights, protection and development of unborn children. It is suggested that when the national forum is called, alcohol and the negative effects of other substance misuse and abuse on babies in the womb are on the agenda.

This should also include the contribution of fathers to a healthy foetus, the social and economic effects of having an impaired child, and the benefits of discontinuing substance use after becoming pregnant.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said is listening too. The MUCM met him on these issues and he showed remarkable insight into the significance of these problems.

Also, the Malta Association of Social Workers has given a very valuable contribution on these matters in the MUCM so far.

Gradually social workers are emerging as the social conscience of the nation.

 

PRAYERS ON THE RIGHTS OF UNBORN CHILDREN - Anglican Pastor Jeffrey Williams at Islamic Centre, Malta - 07-11-2008

MUCM

by Fr Jeffrey Williams

Pastor, Anglican Church in Malta

as Representative of the Malta Ecumenical Council

Recited during the Conference

QUALITY LIFE FOR THE UNBORN CHILD

Organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement – MUCM and the Malta Branch of the World Islamic Call Society

Member Organisation in MUCM

Friday, 7th November, 2008

at Islamic Centre, Paola, MALTA

Read by Pastor Williams himself

at the Islamic Centre

on 7-11-2008

 

O God, our heavenly Father, who has blessed mothers and fathers with the gift of a child: Grant, we ask thee, that they may show their love and thankfulness to thee in so ordering their home, that by their example and teaching they may guide their children in the way of righteousness, to thy great glory.

O God, we give thee hearty thanks for thy loving care during all women’s pregnancies and deliveries, and for the skill and devotion of all who have guarded the health of both mother and child. Grant that all mothers, remembering thy love for them, may serve thee faithfully in the daily care of their home and family.

O God, who has taught us to love thee and our neighbours with all out heart. We commend to you all hospitals, Doctors and Nurses who care for pregnant women and children. Prosper all that is being done for the health and welfare of all your children.

O God, we ask your guidance on all who bear rule among us in Church and State, in industry, commerce and the media, and all who have power over the lives of others. Grant them to seek your guidance, and the courage to do your will.

O God, our heavenly Father, whose ways are hidden and thy works wonderful: Comfort, we pray all parents, whose hearts are heavy with sorrow after the death of their children. Surround them with thy protection, and grant them grace to face the future with good courage and hope. Teach them to use this pain in deeper sympathy for all who suffer, so that they may share in thy work of turning sorrow into joy.

O God, the creator and giver of life, we thank thee for entrusting women to bear children. Help all mothers and fathers to respond to this gift, by preparation of themselves in heart, and mind, and body. Strengthen all women for the task and responsibility of motherhood. Also grant them the gift of faith, that they may have peace and quiet confidence in You, so may their hope be realized and their joy be full.

O God, who didst choose Blessed Mary to be the mother of thy Son Jesus Christ and Joseph to be his earthly father: Prepare the hearts, minds and bodies of all men and women, that they may be worthy to be the parents of the children you may give them, and that they may rejoice in their parenthood.

Rights of the Unborn Child - An Islamic Perspective - 25-05-2007

MUCM

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The Muslim community would stand out among other communities for its kindness to children”.

Islam is very simple regarding the rights of the unborn: Islam does not differentiate between children who are already born and those who are yet to be born.

Islam is therefore guided by this and also by the Holy Qur’an which says: “Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world…” (18:46)

The Arabic word “awlad” (meaning sons and daughters or children) is used in these references. This translates to “born and unborn children”. If God intended to only prohibit post-born children from being killed, then the word “mawlood” (born children), which is used elsewhere in the Qur’an, would have substituted the other. But it is clear that unborn children are also to be protected.

Rights of the Unborn Child

• The right to good parents: Even before conception, Islam requests men to seek good women and vice versa so that, eventually, children would have good parents.
• The right to physical well being: The father should do everything in his power to ensure that the unborn child is well. God says: “And if they are pregnant, then spend on them until they deliver” (65:6). The father is responsible of providing for the woman that bears and delivers his child.
• Islamic law further commands the guardian to take into consideration the condition of the pregnant woman, her affairs and mental frame of mind. Doing well to the expectant woman is mandatory, even if the mother has committed a crime or an offence against society. Her punishment should be delayed so that the unborn will not be affected by it. (Alcohol and drugs are prohibited for everyone in Islam, not just pregnant women).
• The right to legitimacy: the foetus has the right to be attributed to his/her two married parents. (Of course, parents are male and female - Islam only recognises a marriage between a man and a woman).
• The right to inheritance if born alive: the foetus has the divine right to inherit from the parents under Islamic inheritance rules (while still inside the womb).
• The right for equal treatment whether boy or girl: (no sexual discrimination or preference)
• The right for a special charity (Zakat ul Fitr): to be paid to the poor and needy, by the father on his/her behalf during the fasting month of Ramadan, which is the same amount paid also on behalf of every member of the family.
• When any unborn child dies during pregnancy, God Almighty grants it His greatest gift: HEAVEN. (There is no “original sin” in Islam). Any child who dies before puberty goes to Heaven too.
• The right for a special prayer and proper quick burial after death. Full respect is accorded to the body.

 

Abortion

The right to life is the most basic right of the unborn child. This applies also if the unborn child is disabled or handicapped - any disabled or handicapped foetus is fully respected and fully protected.

Infanticide, especially of females, occurred in Arabia during the sixth century:

“And when the female infant buried alive is asked
For what sin she was killed…” (81:8-9)

Islam stopped this and emphasised that human life is sacred.

Killing any person is strongly condemned in the Qur’an, especially the killing of children which is specifically condemned in several chapters: “You shall not kill your children due to fear of poverty. We provide for them, as well as for you. Killing them is a gross offence” (17:31).

The two basic Islamic sources and references, the Qur'an and the Sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), do not allow the interference with or the killing of any foetus at any stage of pregnancy. The fertilised egg is fully respected in Islam (beginning of human life). It is a potential human being with clear fixed gender/sex and genes inherited from both parents, as stated by the Prophet Muhammad.

Knowledge about embryology is detailed in the Qur’an to a level that had not previously been documented. To start with, the very first revelation from God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel was literally entitled “The Hanging Embryo” (96). In another chapter, the Holy Qur’an says:

“We create the human being from a certain kind of mud. Subsequently, We reproduced him from a tiny drop that is placed into a well protected repository. Then We developed the drop into a hanging (embryo), then developed the hanging (embryo) into a bite size (foetus), then created the bite-size (foetus) into bones, then covered the bones with flesh. We thus produced a new creature. Most blessed is God, the best Creator.” (23:12-14).

Some argue that the foetus in the first four months does not have a soul and therefore it is permissible to kill him/her. They do not realise that the soul has nothing to do with abortion. In abortion you are dealing with the physical body of the foetus, not its soul. We cannot kill the soul even if we try, but we can separate the soul from the body as is the case in a physical death. Whether the soul enters the body of the zygote in the first minute of its life (when it genetically becomes a unique being) or after months of pregnancy is irrelevant to the abortion issue.

Abortive remedies and techniques were available in those days, so we can assume that God’s word still applies today. God's words, laws and teachings do not change, people do.

In the case of pregnancy out of wedlock, Islam NEVER blames the children for the mistakes of the parents: “…and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another…” (6:164) – hence, it is surely a crime to abort regardless of how old the pregnancy is. The unborn baby in the mother’s womb is honoured and sacred even in such a situation.

One exception: Abortion ONLY allowed in case the mother is in danger of dying (it would have to be confirmed by a group of credible doctors that the pregnancy is endangering the life of the mother) – however, in any matter, Islam always chooses the lesser of two evils.

Mario Abdurrahman Farrugia-Borg

World Islamic Call Society – Malta Branch

Imam El Sadi Speech MUCM-WICS 7-11-08 CONFER on UNBORN CHILD - Islamic Centre Paola MALTA

MUCM

View scans
First part - Second part

Birds and babies in the EU - Times of Malta 01-02-2008

Friday, 1st February 2008

Tony Mifsud, coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement, Fgura.

According the The Times (January 30), the European Commission (EC) on January 30 was expected to ask the European Court of Justice to stop Malta from opening the hunting season because, as stated by the same EC " ...we have warned Malta over the past years that, according to the Commission, the continuation of spring hunting is illegal and goes against EU law". This, to protect the lives of birds which, in itself, is a very good thing.

Then the same Commission threatens Nicaragua, a country not even in the European Union, to change its laws to introduce abortion, otherwise development aid from the EC to Nicaragua will stop. This, to wilfully terminate the lives of babies. To kill little unborn children.

The same kind of signals, though so far in very disguised ways, have already come Malta's way, this time a member country of the European Union.

How cynical. When José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commisson, was in Malta lately for the euro changeover celebrations, and on many other occasions, he spoke about European shared values. A recent study revealed that many EU women abhor having children of any age.

I really wonder, considering the above, if Mr Barroso is seriously expecting the Maltese to share these kind of values, when we know that in many EU countries birds come before babies, unborn or born.

In the opposite direction Mr Barroso is seriously invited to examine the contribution from Malta, this time from the Malta Unborn Child Movement, made up of 44 Maltese organisations, sent to Franco Frattini, the Commissioner for Justice and Security, to make provisions for the rights, protection and development of the unborn child in the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child which is being considered by the EU Commission at present. The EU Commission itself asked for these contributions.

The Angelilli Report commissioned by the European Commission to advise the EU Parliament on the drafting of the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child recommended, in Section K (page 6) of the Preamble to the Report, that "the EU strategy on the rights of the child should be rooted in the values and principles laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child".

In section L (also page 6) the report further recommended that "the rights of children as autonomous legal beings should be recognised".

Paragraph 9 of the Preamble to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states: "Bearing in mind that, as indicated in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, 'the child, by reason of his physical, and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth'."

When I spoke to Simon Busuttil, one of our MEPs, on this subject he told me that the EU Parliament was lately discussing this report.

Perhaps there is still some more time for Mr Barroso to intervene in this matter and see that the EU Charter on the Rights of the Child is really "rooted in the values and principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child" which makes very clear reference also to "appropriate legal protection to the child... before as well as after birth".

That would, at least, put birds and babies on a par in the eyes of all EU citizens and would give a more substantial meaning to the words "Euopean shares values".

Malta Unborn Child Charter Presentation to Malta Archbishop Paul Cremona - 04-05-2007

MUCM

On May, 4, 2007 representatives of the 42 national organisations which form the Malta Unborn Child Movement, presented the Movement Charter of the Unborn Child to Archbishop Paul Cremona at the Curia Floriana.

The Charter aims to raise the quality of life of the Unborn Child in the Maltese Islands and beyond.
The main aim of the Charter is for the organizations and institutions in the movement, and others outside the movement, to promote, in their own way, and by their own means, the rights, protection and development of all unborn children in the Maltese Islands.

Other aims are to increase awareness in the Maltese Islands, and beyond:

1. of the unique privilege, enjoyed by both parents as equal partners, in the conception of the unborn child;

2. of the special opportunity for both parents to help the unborn child develop, from the moment of conception, its full potential and its personality;

3. of the big responsibility of both parents, and of the political, medical, industrial, legal, social and other agents, to protect the unborn child from all physical, mental and emotional harm until it is born, and after

This, as befits the respect and dignity due to all human beings, always and everywhere, from the moment of their conception, until born, and after.

The Movement believes that this initiative deserves to be, and can be, diffused beyond Maltese shores, amongst other societies, cultures, religions and civilizations. The unborn child has no frontiers and its dignity is respected everywhere and at all times.

The Maltese people are showing repeatedly, in one social survey after another, and by means of official
declarations in the Maltese Parliament, by the civil authorities and by civil society, that they value highly
human life from the moment of conception and that it recognizes itself as a leading protector of the
unborn child, and a veritable promoter of its interests, in the local, european and world scene.
During the presentation Archbishop Cremona focused on the unique privilege, enjoyed by both parents as equal partners, in giving life to the unborn child. He spoke about the great need to raise awareness about the general well-being of the unborn child mostly through education, in all schools and the means of communications. Therer was general consensus on the need of greater collaboration between parents and the political, medical, industrial, legal, social and other agents to advance the cause of the unborn child in all respects and to set up of permanent structures which facilitate such collaboration.

Resolution on Abortion - published in Times of Malta 03-05-2008

Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn, Child Movement, Fgura

The Malta Unborn Child Movement - MUCM - made up of 44 Maltese organisations, has formally congratulated the two sides of the Maltese parliamentary delegation which attended the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg last month and which dealt with the resolution on abortion. It applauded the very active and firm stand of the Maltese delegation in favour of the rights of the unborn child, and the fact that all members of the delegation spoke very strongly against the resolution, and ultimately voted against it. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Robert Arrigo represented the government while Leo Brincat and Joe Debono Grech represented the opposition.
The resolution called for the decriminalisation of abortion in all the Council of Europe's 47 member states. This in spite of the fact that the Brussels-based CARE-Europe had written to the members of the parliamentary assembly saying it was saddened that a process which started with a call to consider "abortion and its impact on women" from a concern about all the negative effects of the high rate of abortions in some European countries had ended up with a draft resolution calling for abortion-on-demand to be made a right.
On April 22, Pierre Portelli chaired a discussion on Net TV with Dr Pullicino Orlando and Mr Brincat on what went on, on those fateful days in Strasbourg.
The members of the Maltese delegation made reference to the "superficiality" of the highly charged "biased", "amateurish" and "rushed" CofE report to make it "an unconditional right" for women to do abortions - to kill unborn children.
They criticised the stance taken by the proponents of the resolution, especially its rapporteur, an Austrian woman MP, to speak only on what they alleged to be the right of women to have an abortion without making any reference to the right to life of the unborn child, to the right of the father of the unborn child to have a say in the matter and to the right of personnel in the medical and para-medical professions who, on a matter of conscience, refuse to be part of the killing process.
They also disclosed that only 185 of a total of 609 members of the CofE PA, that is about 30 per cent, voted on the resolution, and that only 102 members voted in favour of it. This means that only one sixth of all the members of the PA voted in favour of the resolution. It emerged also that "feminist extremists dominated the debate" in Strasbourg.
Consensus seemed to have emerged during the discussion on Net TV on the need to set up a permanent Maltese lobby group on the unborn child and abortion, and similar issues, to meet regularly and be much more prepared for future debates of the sort which took place at the latest Council of Europe PA. The positive effects of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue on this issue, even in the established lobby group in Malta, were also gone into.
It was also said that a properly organised local lobby group could be in a position to make fresh and concrete proposals on this subject which eventually can reach the PA of the Council of Europe at the appropriate time.
The members of the panel spoke also about the great need to strengthen the existing local services for women who would be contemplating an abortion. The need arises, therefore, for more specific material, financial and human resources to reach Aġenzija Appoġġ for this purpose, and for the Gift of Life Foundation to be given more substantial material and financial support, also by the national authorities, to enhance and expand its programme Hope, to consolidate its counselling and material support services for women contemplating an abortion, or have already done so.
The MUCM, of which the Gift of Life Foundation is a member, welcomes these suggestions and feels it is already in a very good position to make substantial contributions to an enlarged and structured local lobby group on unborn children and their parents built on initiatives MUCM has taken during the last couple of years.
For this purpose, MUCM looks forward to meeting the Maltese parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe on this subject when the delegation is again set up formally after Parliament convenes again in a weeks' time.

To the Commissioner for Children - Ms Carmen Zammit - 20-01-2009

Memo - Tuesday - 20th January, 2009 - Centru }idma Socjali, St Venera

By a Delegation from the Malta Unborn Child Movement - led by Coordinator Tony Mifsud

1. Cared for children in the womb turn out to be contented children and, later on, loving and caring spouses and parents and caring corporate managers.


2. The Commissioner should consider including unborn children at risk of abuse on an official “child protection register”, as is the case in Scotland.


3. The local health authorities should start publishing official statisitics of newborns affected by the consumption of harmful substances by their parents during pregancy, as they do with the around 360 tobacco-related annual deaths in the Maltese Islands.


4. In any “quality education” blueprint, as outlined by Dr Grace Grima, DG Educ Division (Times 28-11-08) , early childhood development and education, also in the womb, should be a top priority. This holds good also for the University of Malta.


5. It is high time Maltese society and its politicians put also the first environment for man, the first world for the unborn child…the mother’s womb…constantly on their green agenda.“Sustainable development” also of the child in the womb should be a main pillar of attention and active work of the Malta Council of Economic and Social Development.


6. The mother’s womb is normally the first environment to the unborn child. There are also other types of environments to the unborn which should also be constantly on the “green” agenda…like experimental medical laboratiories!


7. The project Benniena by Agenzija Appogg, a government agency, should be allocated more financial and human resources to give a better service. The State should also help programme HOPE of the Gift of Life Foundation materially and financially to give also a better services in this regard.

8. When the National Forum called by the Commissioner for Children is called drinks and the negative effects of other substance misuse and abuse on babies in the womb is included in the agenda. The Forum should include also the contribution of fathers to a healthy fetus, the social and economic effects of having an impaired child, and the benefits of discontinuing substance use after becoming pregnant.


9. In 2006 the Malta Unborn Child Movement made extensive submissions to the EU Commission on the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child. In 2008 MUCM met Maltese MEP Dr Simon Bustuttil on the matter. MUCM asks the Commissioner for Children for her support on the matter at EU level. 0



See supporting document – below - p2.3.4.

Memo - Tuesday - 20th January, 2009 - Centru Hidma Socjali, St Venera

To the Commissioner for Children - Ms Carmen Zammit

By a Delegation from the Malta Unborn Child Movement - led by Coordinator Tony Mifsud



1. Care for Children in the Womb Appeared in The TIMES 5-1-2009


The Malta Unborn Child Movement has been spearheading the benefits to pregnant women, unborn children and Maltese society of the discoveries of scientists like Dr Thomas Verny who has established that “by creating a warm, emotionally enriching environment in utero, a woman can make a decisive difference in everything her child feels, hopes, dreams, thinks, and accomplishes throughout life.” Verny adds: “The womb is the child's first world. How he experiences it, as friendly or hostile, does create personality and character predispositions for life.”



1. Policy decisions in this... will see children are cared for properly from the very beginning of their lives, from a formative and preventive aspect. This will increase tremendously the probability that as many unborn children as possible will turn out to be contented children and later on, loving and caring spouses and parents who, in turn, are not likely, at all, to produce children who, eventually, are “socially disadvantaged, backward intellectually and educationally and disturbed emotionally.” as Frank Muscat very rightly pointed out.


2. They will turn out to be also sensitive and caring corporate managers able to create a very healthy industrial climate on the place of work with contented workers and as few as possible emotionally backward and industrially disadvantaged workers.


2. Domestic Violence and the Unborn child - Appeared in The TIMES 11-12-09


On the 23 November 2008 David Leask of the newspaper Scotsman, in Scotland, reported that “at least 600 Scottish babies a year are judged to be at risk of abuse before they are even born” and that “official figures reveal that in the last year, 331 unborn babies were placed on the official child protection register, many of them because of their mother's drink or drug problem.”


Ha added “In Glasgow alone, social workers deal with around 20 cases a month of unborn babies considered to be at risk of abuse.”


About four yeras ago it was officially known that there were about 14 newborns on methodone in the state hospital because their parents consumed drugs during, or before, pregnancy. And today?


The local health authorities should start publishing official statisitics of newborns affected by the consumption of these substances by their parents during pregancy, as they do with the around 360 tobacco-related annual deaths in the Maltese Islands.


According to Article 2. ix of the Domestic Violence Law of 2005 “the child conceived but yet unborn of any of the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i) to (vii) both inclusive” is “a member of the household” to be protected by the domestic violence law from ‘any’ type of violence.


In the eyes of the Domestic Violence Law the battered woman and the unborn child are the same.



This is a clear indication that, locally, unborn children have a distinct legal entity of their own. This will be enhanced when, as stated in a latest review on IVF in Malta (Times 28-11-08) “a proposed law comes into effect which gives the embryo a moral and legal status by not later than the phase of conception, which is when the two nuclei of the sperm and the egg fuse to form the single cell of a new human life.”


In the meantime unborn children seem not to be drawing the attention of the local authorities as much as they should, surely, it appears, not that of the Commission for Domestic Violence. ..so far. However, they have attracted the attention of the present Commissioner for Children...and her predecessor. The Commissioner should consider including unborn children at risk of abuse on an official “child protection register”, as is the case in Scotland.


Emotional interviews with parents have shown also the long-term psychological and behavioural problems of substance abuse on born children.



Which makes it imperative that in any “quality education” blueprint, as outlined by Dr Grace Grima, DG Educ Division (Times 28-11-08) , early childhood development and education, also in the womb, should be a top priority. This holds good also for the University of Malta.


Pediatrician in many parts of the world contend that innocent children are being devastated by substance abuse, including binge drinking, which does a lot of harm to a developing baby. These babies become adults who cannot function. Prenatal substance abuse exposure is a major cause of destroyed human potential for an enormous group of people who have moral and legal rights for protection from harm when they are still in their mothers’ wombs.



3. Green pregnancies Published in The TIMES 23-7-08


Leo Brincat, the main opposition spokesman for the environment, noted (Times July 16) that CNN too has gone green “…almost becoming synonymous with tuning in to a Green channel.” He added “It is comforting to know that various world leaders have chosen to make the environment their calling card while others have initiated concrete climate change measures and others are still struggling hard to begin implementing their Green agendas.”

It is high time Maltese society and its politicians put also the first environment for man, the first world for the unborn child…the mother’s womb…constantly on their green agenda. Abortion affects an extremely important aspect of the first environment to the unborn child. There is much more than abortion, though. The womb is where the wholesome development of the unborn child takes place during the nine months of pregnancy. “Sustainable development” also of the child in the womb should be a main pillar of attention and active work of the Malta Council of Economic and Social Development.

At present every year the womb is the first environment to about 4000 unborn children in Malta and Gozo and to about 200 million unborn children all over the world.

Maltese society, and European society also for that matter, must be much more aware about the very harmful effects the increased consumption of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, especially by the young generation, the bearers of unborn child, is having on the overall development of the unborn child in the womb. Appropriate action should be taken by the authorities to spare the unborn child these harmful effects.

There is much to learn also about the harmful effects toxic substances and other conditions of work on the places of work are leaving on the general health of working fathers and mothers, and consequently on babies in their mothers’ wombs.


Dr. Philip Camilleri, Consultant Oncologist at Northampton General Hospital in UK drew the attention of many when in 2005 he wrote about “exhaust fumes and their link to cancer in children... because of parental exposure to exhaust fumes around the time of conception, as a result of damage to the sperm DNA.”


The mother’s womb is normally the first environment to the unborn child. There are also other types of environments to the unborn which should also be constantly on the “green” agenda…like experimental medical laboratiories!


4. Commpassionate Services Appeared in The TIMES in several letters by MUCM


The UNCRC, in paragraph 9 of its preamble, proclaims that “the child..needs..appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth”.

Abortions abroad can be prevented because the unborn child has a right to life, wherever. It can be difficult, agonizing and traumatic to prevent a woman from commiting an abortion by the force of law to protect the life of the unborn child. It is equally difficult, agonizing and traumatic, though, to issue care orders.


It should be incumbent on Maltese society, to invest in a massive educational and promotional campaign, perghpas with the Health Promotion Department to convince women comtemplating an abortion to use the very compassionate, professional counselling, theraputic, medical and social work services, like fostering an adoption, as alternatives to abortion.


Agenzija Appogg and the Gift of Life Foundation, through its programme HOPE, already provide these services. The project Benniena by Agenzija Appogg, a government agency should be allocated more financial and human resources to give a better service. The State should also help programme HOPE of the Gift of Life Foundation materially and financially to give also a better services in this regard.


5. Forum by Commissioner for Children - From MUCM letter in Sunday Times 6-10-08


Today we [...] have sufficient information, available also to youths, how drugs, alcohol and tobacco adversely affect the development of the fetus at each month of pregnancy. They produce miscarriages, still-births, and problems pregnancies which put both the mother and fetus in danger. Our youths should know also that both sporadic use and consistent abuse can be damaging. The Malta Unborn Child Movement (MUCM) and the Health Promotion Department, an organisation in MUCM, are promoting this kind of awareness.


Yet who is listening? Who cares? asks Lino Spiteri. The Commissioner of Children is listening, says Lino Spiteri, and she intends to call a National Forum to deal with these issues. MUCM, made up of 45 Maltese organisations, agrees with Lino Spiteri. The Commissioner, a social worker, is listening. She has already supported, like her predecessor, the formative and preventive social action project of MUCM about the rights, protection and development of unborn children.


It is suggested that when the National Forum is called drinks and the negative effects of other substance misuse and abuse on babies in the womb is included in the agenda. This should include also the contribution of fathers to a healthy fetus, the social and economic effects of having an impaired child, and the benefits of discontinuing substance use after becoming pregnant.


Dr Chris Said, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue, is listening also. The MUCM met him on these issues lately and he showed remarkable insight into the significance of these problems and the great importance of promoting green pregnancies and the sustainable development of babies in the womb. He intends to do so with MUCM very soon.


6. The EU First Charter on the Rights of the Child - including Unborn Child Emails by MUCM to EU Commission 19-5-2006 & 1-9-2007


In 2006 the Malta Unborn Child Movement made extensive submissions to the EU Commission on the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child and met Maltese MEP Dr Simon Bustuttil on the matter in 2008. MUCM asks the Commissioner for Children for her support on the matter at EU level.

Il-Hidma tal-Moviment tingabar fic-Charter tal-Moviment dwar id-Drittijiet, il-Protezzjoni u l-Izvilupp tat-Tarbija mit-Tnissil sat-Twelid pubblikat fl-2007.

MUCM

Delegazzjoni tal-Moviment – 45 Ghaqda Maltin - tiltaqa ma Dr. Said, Segretarju Parlamentari, ghad-Djalogu Pubbliku, fl-Ufficcju tal-Prim Ministru, Berga ta’ Kastilja, Valletta, l-Erbgha 30 ta’ Lulju, 2008 1pm. Id-Delegazzjoni tal-Moviment li ltaqet ma’ Dr. Chris Said -- Joe Vella, Vice Pres, Unjon Haddiema Maghqudin, li mexxa id-delgazzjoni, Tony Mifsud, Koordinatur tal-Moviment - Gino Axisa, Segretarjat Assistenza Socjali, Azzjoni Kattolika - Mary Said Buttigieg, Assocjazzjoni tal-Midwives Maltin - Grace Attard, Kunsill tan-Nisa - Mario Farrugia, Fergha Maltija, World Islamic Call Society. Memo: Lil Dr. Chris Said.

Ic-Charter..

..hu ispirat mill-Konvenzjoni dwar id-Drittijiet tat-Tfal tal-Gnus Maghquda ta’ 20 ta’ Novembru,1989 li ssostni li it-tfal ...“minhabba l-immaturita fizika u mentali taghhom, jenhtiegilhom harsien u kura specjali, fosthom protezzjoni legali xierqa, kemm qabel kemm wara it-twelid”.
..hu mibni fuq il-fatt, ippruvat xjentifikament, illi l-guf ta’ l-omm huwa l-ewwel ambjent ghat-tarbija u li l-personalita u l-predispozizzjonijiet tal-karattru tag]ha jkunu ffurmati, tajjeb jew le, daqskemm l-omm, u l-missier, i]obbu u ja``ettaw t-tarbija fil-[uf ta’ l-omm. Dan jag]mel differenza de`isiva f’dak kollu li t-tarbija fil-guf ta’ omm thoss, tittama, tohlom, tahseb u, wara, jirnexxilha taghmel matul hajjitha kollha.
..jippromwovi l-interessi kollha tal-madwar 3000 tarbija li, kull sena, jkunu se jitwieldu fil-Gzejjer Maltin.

..jimmira li jmur lil hinn mix-xtut Maltin u Ghawdxin, fost socjetajiet, kulturi, religjonijiet, u civilitajiet diversi.
Proposti g]ad-diskussjoni ma’ Dr Chris Said,

1. Id-dinjita, id-drittijiet legali, il-protezzjoni minn kull hsara...inkluza l-mewt bl-abort, u l-izvilupp fiziku, mentali u emozzjonali tat-tarbija li se titwieled zgur li huma fil-bazi tal-qasam socjali u l-izvilupp sostenibbli fil-Gzejjer Maltin. Ghal dan il-ghan il-Kumitat Malti dwar l-Izvilupp Ekonomiku u Socjali - KMZES - ghandu jibda jahdem ukoll dwar il-promozzjoni tas-sahha fizika, mentali u emozzjonali tat-tarbija li se titwieled, kemm mal-genituri li jkunu se jwelldu, fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir, fl-iskejjel kollha, u fil-postijiet tax-xoghol.

2. L-ewwel kondsiderazzjoni hija ghax dan jixraq lil kull persuna umana mit-tnissil taghha biex ikollha l-ahjar zvilupp possibbli ghall-ahjar kwalita ta hajja ghall-hajjitha kollha. It-tieni ghax dan jaqbel ukoll lill-Istat ghaliex kull cittadin f’sahhtu, minn kull lat, jaghti l-akbar kontribut ghall-ekonomija tal-pajjiz u ghall-ahjar kwalita ta’ hajja ghal kulhadd. It-tielet ghax inaqqas ukoll l-ispiza diga kbira ta’ l-Istat f’mizuri korrettivi, u kurattivi, specjalment dwar disabilitajiet fisici, mentali u emozzjonali, ghal dawk kollha vittmi ta’ zvilupp negattiv fil-guf ta’ l-omm...fejn tista tkun bdiet hafna patologija socjali.

3. Ghal dawn l-ghanijiet ghandu jkun hemm sinergija shiha bejn il-hidma tal-KMZES, tan-National Sustainable Development Strategy imexxija mill-Prim Ministru, u l-hidma ta l-Awrtorita dwar is-Sahha u Sigurta fuq il-Postijiet tax-Xog]ol, is-Segretarjati Parlamentari ghas-Sahha u ghall-Kura fil-Kommunita fil-Ministeru ghall-Politika Socjali, id-Dipartiment ghall-Promozzjoni tas-Sahha u t-Taqsima tal-Parent Craft fid-Dipartiment ta l-Obstetrics, fl-Isptar Mater Dei, u mat-Taqsimiet tal-Personal and Social Development u tas-Citizenship and Democracy tad-Divizjojni ta’ l-Edukazzjoni u l-Awtorita tax-Xandir....fost ohrajn.

4. Mill-lat preventiv, u kurattiv, ghandu jkun hemm kollaborazzjoni kbira ma’ l-istituzzjonijiet tal-Gvern dwar it-tfal, specjalment l-Agenziji Sedqa, Appogg u Sapport u l-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali dwar il-Vjolenza Domestika. Dan biex jittiehdu d-decizjoniijet amministrattivi mehtiega, anki skond il-ligijet tal-pajjiz, specjalment il-Ligi dwar l-Vjolenza Domestika li tirrikonoxxi lit-tarbija li se titwieled bhala membru ta “household” u ghalhekk tipprotegiha minn kull hsara...daqs mara msawwta.

5. Perjodikament, permezz ta’ gabra ta’ data mid-Divizzjoni tas-Sahha, ghandha tohrog stampa cara minn kull Sptar, tal-gvern jew privati, tat-trabi kollha li jkun se jitwieldu minn ommijiet u missierijiet li jixorbu l-alkohol, jiehdu d-drogi, ipejjpu, jew huma esposti ghal sustanzi tossici fuq il-postijiet tax-xoghol. It-taghrif jintalab bil-miktub mit-tobba u/jew midwives, malli l-omm taghmel l-ewwel kuntatt ma’ l-isptarijiet.. kollha...matul l-ewwel gimghat tat-tqala....sew qabel il-hlas.

6. F’kull sptar, tal-gvern jew mhuwiex, fejn ikunu idetifikanti kazijijet ta’ trabi li jkunu se jitwieldu minn ommijiet u missierijiet li jixorbu l-alkohol, jiehdu d-drogi, ipejjpu, jew huma esposti ghal sustanzi tossici fuq il-postijiet tax-xoghol, l-Awtoritajhiet tas-Sahha jaraw li li dawn il-kazijiet jinghataw attenzjoni specjali, u immedjata, mill-istaff mediku u paramedika, u mic-CDAU, biex tkun imharsa is-sahha totali tat-tarbija li tkun se titwieled.

7. L-Istat jara li Il-produtturi tas-sigaretti u tax-xorb alkoholiku ikunu mitluba – anki bil-Ligi – biex juru, b’mod li jkun jidher sewwa fuq il-prodotti taghhom li t-tipjip, ix-xorb alkoholiku u d-drogi ma’ jmorrux mat-tqala... u anki qabilha.

8. l-Istat jhajjar lill-organi kollha involuti f’dan il-qasam biex ikun stampati stickers ta’ kull xorta, zghar u kbar, biex jitqassmu (u jitwahhlu) fost il-kommunita kollha Maltija u Ghawdxija, specjalment fil-postijiet tad-divertiment taz-zghazagh.

9. l-Istat jara li s-sahha fizika, mentali u emozzjonali tat-tarbija li se titwieled tkun dejjem difiza u promossa - f’isem is-socjeta Maltija - fil-laqghat u fora internazzjonali, specjalment fl-Unjoni Ewropeja, u allura wkoll permezz tal-Malta-EU Steering Committee.

10. L-Istat jara li il-progett li qed tmexxi bhalissa l-Fakulta ta’ l-Edukazzjoni ta’ l-Universita ta’ Malta dwar “Early Childhood Education”, ma’ hames Universitajiet ohra fl-Unjoni Ewropeja – fil-Germanja, l-Iskozja, l-Irlanda, in-Norvegja u l-Isvezja - ikun jinkludi l-innovazzjoni, suggerita mill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled, maghmul minn 45 Ghaqda Maltin, ta’ l-edukazzjoni totali tat-tarbija li se titwieled, permezz tal-genituri tat-tarbija, kif muri diga permezz ta’ skoperti xjentifici...kif jidher fuq.

 
L-Izvilupp Sostenibbli tat-Tarbija li se Titwieled - Kull Sena : 4000 Tarbija li se Titwieled fil-Gzejjer Maltin

Konkluzzjonijiet ewlenin tal-laqgha tal-Moviment ma’ Dr Said fit-30-7-08 fil-Berga ta’Kastilja, Valletta :
Dr Chris Said:
1. Accetta il-kuncett - l-Izvilupp Sostenibbli ghat-Tarbija li se Titwieled – ara para 1 - u stieden lill-Moviment biex meta jitlob hu, aktarx ghal Ottubru, 2008, il-Moviment jaghmel “presentazzjoni” fuq it-Tarbija li se Titwieled u l-Izvilupp Sostenibbli lill-Kumitat Malti dwar l-Izvilupp Ekonomiku u Socjali. - KMZES - u tittiehed feedback mill-membri tal-Kunsill dwar dan is-suggett.
2. Qal li jaqbel li jmexxi il-proposta tal-Moviment - ara para 10 - dwar Early Childhood Education mar-Rettur ta’l-Universita ta Malta. Id-delegazzjoni infurmatu li l-Moviment kien diga kiteb fuq dan kemm lid-Dekan tal-Fakulta ta’ l- Edukazzjoni, Dr Valerie Sollars, u anki lir-Rettur ta l-Universita
3. Wera disponabilita kbira li:
a. il-Moviment jibni relazzjoni ta’ hidma attiva fuq dan is-suggett mas- Segretarjat tieghu.
b. il-Moviment jahdem fuq dan is-suggett f’xi wahda mis-sub-committees tac-Civil Society Committee tal- KMZES kif se jkun restrutturat sa Settembru 2008.
c. jingabar, mill-istrutturi tas-Segrerarjat u tal-KMZES, it-taghrif mehtieg - statistika - dwar il-kondizzjoni medika ta’ tfal li jkunu se jitwieldu, jew diga twieledu, minn ommijiet li jkunu jiehdu id-drogi, jixorbu l-alkohol, jew ipejjpu it-tabakk biex it-trabi koncernati jinghataw attenzjoni medika specjali fil-waqt.

The Rights, Protection and Development of the Unborn Child in the Maltese Islands today - Dec 2002

Letter to The Times of Malta - Maltese version of this letter sent to other Maltese newspapers at the same time

Tony Mifsud

The attached article by Mr Tony Mifsud, on behalf of the Social Assistance Secretariat, is being referred for the favour of publication in your very popular newspaper.

Thank you very much in anticapation of your kindness.

Yours truly

Gino Axisa
President


The Rights, Protection and Development of the Unborn Child in the Maltese Islands today

by Tony Mifsud D.S.S. (Oxon.) Social Worker and Consultant to the Social Assistant Secretariat
Malta Catholic Action - December, 2002



Maltese Society in general, already a welfare society, should show the way by declaring the 28th of December, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, as the Day dedicated to the Life, Health and Development of the Unborn Child

More than two years ago the Social Assistance Secretariat (SAS) of the Malta Catholic Action took the initiative to promote the rights, protection and development of the unborn child from the moment of conception.

Lately, the SAS noted the postive stance on this subject taken by the two main political parties represented in the Maltese Parliament. It also noted the Civil Court judgement on this matter by His Honour Judge Gannino Caruana Demajo on the 24th August 2000. The right for inheritance for the unborn child in Malta is already protected by the civil law.

Legal Rights to the Unborn Child

Having followed the development of thought on the protection of the unborn child in the means of communications in Malta at present, and for other reasons found below, the SAS is promoting the right for protection, general health, and wholesome development, from the moment of conception, to every unborn child who, eventually, is born in the Maltese Islands.

The SAS is also recommending the introduction in the Constitution of Malta of a relevant clause which gives these rights to the unborn child.

Why the Emphasis on the Position of the Unborn Child

The emphasis on the development of the unborn child is intended to focus on the responsibility of all, whether catholics, christians or not, not only to avoid abortion, to avoid the killing of a human being in the womb of his/her mother, but also not to let unborn children feel rejected, but accepted and loved, and given the chance for wholesome development in their mothers’ womb from the moment of conception until birth… and beyond.

The protection of children, of any age, from any type of abuse is now occupying a prominent place on the national agenda. The same agenda should promote more and more the protection of the unborn child from neglect and abuse, of any type, firstly, from his mother, from the moment of conception.

There is abundant proof (see internet) to show that the life, health and development of unborn children is very much affected by the acceptance or rejection, love and the behaviour of their mothers. Unfortunately, the mothers’ irresponsible drinking, smoking and drug taking habits during pregnancy leave very damaging effects on the life, genersl health and development of their unborn children.

Any work on this agenda should also attract the attention of managers on the place of work. These should become more aware of their responsibility to provide adequate protection to mothers and their unborn children from toxic substances to which they are, or may be, exposed on the place of work

Mother as Protectors to their Unborn Children

Unborn children cannot protest, protect themselfves or fight for their rights. Mothers, primarily, should be their first protectors and in many many instances they already are, especially in Malta. Mothers should protect their children firstly by avoiding drinking alcohol, misusing or abusing drugs, and smoking cigarettes during their pregnancy.

Mothes should be constantly reminded that alchohol consumption, drug taking and cigarettes smoking during pregnancy are other forms of child abuse and domestic violence, this time against their unborn children. They should also spare their unborn children from any forms of neglect, or emotional abuse, during their pregnancy.

Surrogate mothers cannot be spared this responsibilty either. Respect for the unborn child befits the dignity of every human person from the moment of conception irrespective of how, and whether, a child, eventually, is born.

It is in the interest of the Welfare State to invest in formative and preventive care than to fork out millions, later on, in curative action, and ultimately, just palliative care.

The Law and the Unborn Child

Definitely, it is about time that the general health and the wholesome development of the unborn child are protected by further legislation. The law already protects the civil rights of the unborn child.

It should be a big priority for the State to invest, by all the educational and legislative means at its disposal, in the general health and the wholesome development of unborn children so as to prevent them from developing any type of physical, psychological and/or metal illnesses while still in their mothers’ wombs. Besidies, it is in the interest of the Welfare State to invest in formative and preventive care than to fork out millions, later on, in curative action and, ultimately, just palliative care.

Other Protectors of the Unborn Child

The SAS is committing itself , and at the same time appealing to the State, so that together with all those who have this issue at heart, by means of education, and legisaltion, to draw the attention, mainly, of leisure establishments that sell alcohol. These should display boards, which are easily seen in their bars and restaurants, that show that alchohol drinking and pregancny just do not go together.

Producers of alcholic drinks should, similarly, display health warnings, in a manner which really attracts the eye, on their company’s bottles.

Manufacturers of cigarettes in Malta have a grave responsibility as well as smoking is so prevalent in Malta, especially among the rising generation who are already, and will be tomorrow’s, child bearers. Manufacturers of cigarettes should continue to display health warnings, not in small print, on all cigarette packets.

Trade unions have a big role to play in this connection. They are, and should continue to be, chief protectors of unborn children. In all collective aggreements, and in all individual cases, they should protect, by all the means at their disposal, the overall health of the mother and her unborn child, from the moment of conception, from exposure to any kind of toxic subsatances at all places of work.

The Courts of Malta have already established themselves, unequivocally, as protectors of the civil rights and the health and development of unborn children. Let them have more legal instruments at their disposal by which they can continue to carry out their enormous responsibilities towards unborn children

Maltese Society in general, already a welfare society, should show the way by declaring the 28th of December, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, as the Day dedicated to the Life, Health and Development of the Unborn Child.

This is what befits the dignity of every human person, not least every unborn child in the womb of his mother in the Maltese Islands.These are also the demands of the common good.

Decision Makers and the Unborn Child

These considerations were brought in writing to the attention of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Policy, the Leader of the Oppostion, the Minister of Education,. the Minister of Health, the Minister of Justice and Local Councils, the Minister for Gozo, the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, the six female and other Maltese parliamentarians, the Archbishop of Malta and the Bishop of Gozo, the Council of Women, the General Workers Union, the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions, the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, the Malta Union of Teachers, the Health and Safety Authority, the Department for Health Promotion, Agenzija Sedqa, Agenzija Appogg, St Lukes Hospital, St Philip’s Hospital, St James Clinic, television and radio stations, the local press and interested persons.

Tony Mifsud D.S.S. (Oxon.) is a Social Worker and Consultant to the Social Assistance Secretariat

The Malta Unborn Child Movement meets the Swedish Ambassador to Malta, Ms Ulla Gudmundson 5-10-2009

on 5 th October, 2009 at the Phoenicia Hotel, Malta

Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement

 

The Malta Unborn Child Movement – MUCM -  met the Swedish Ambassador to Malta, Ms Ulla Gudmundson, at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, Malta on Monday 5th October 2009. to pass on an MUCM message to the Swedish  EU Presidency .

 

Text of  message by MUCM to the Swedish EU Presidency
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Following the publication in the Times of Malta of MUCM letters (see attached printed copies)  to the Swedish EU Presidency and the Malta Government and the  two Seminars by the Swedish Ambassador to Malta and the Malta Government  on Climate Change at the Phoenicia Hotel,  Malta,  MUCM meets the Swedish Ambassador to Malta, Ms Ulla Gudmundson, at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, Malta  on Monday 5th October 2009 at 11.45am to request her, graciously, to pass on its recommendations to the Swedish EU Presidency  

 

From letters by MUCM in The Times of Malta :  ...the Malta Unborn Child Movement - MUCM - made up of 45 Maltese organisations,  is proposing that, within the context of  the priorities assigned to the environment and climate change by the Swedish Presidency, climate change will include also climate change in the womb as “the common concern of mankind”. That is, how climate change affects also the wholesome and sustainable development of about 200 million unborn children, every year, in the European Union and worldwide.  “Climate change” is doing as much harm to unborn children as it is doing to those who are born. 

 

In her book “Environmental Justice and the Rights of Unborn and Future Generations”  Dr. Laura Westra, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Windsor, states: Quote: “The traditional concept of social justice is increasingly being challenged by the notion of a humankind that spans current and future generations.”  Her book has been described as “the systematic examination of how the rights of the unborn and future generations are handled in common law and under international legal instruments.”

 

A dimension of man's relationship to his environment is implied in the concept "the common concern of mankind." While covering directly climate change in general, it focuses also on issues that are generally basic to mankind, like climate change also in the womb. This, through the inadvertent exposure to toxic substances and emissions of would-be mothers and fathers especially at places of work and the world in general. Also, through the inconsiderate consumption of drugs, alcohol and tobocco before and/or during pregnancy, and the lack of love for and rejection of unborn children by their parents -  which also conditions the affective development of unborn and born children -  manifested by parents in a variety of ways during the pregnancy. The concept “the common concern of mankind” arose out of the UN deleberations on Malta’s proposal on climate change.

 

Please see: http://www.ewg.org/kid-safe-chemicals-act-blog/kid-safe-chemicals-act/  - Chemicals and Unborn Children 

 

This within the context of Malta’s pledge “... to continue to actively support the protection of the basic human rights of children in the world particularly as laid out in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child” and that ”Malta will continue to support international actions and policies that respect the rights of the unborn child and foster the best interests of children.” See website: Malta Ministry of Foreign and EU Affairs

 

MUCM also made a specific proposal to the Swedish Ambassador for consideration by the EU Swedish Presidency

 

Text of the proposal:

 

The Malta Unborn Child Movement to the EU Swedish Presidency, through the Swedish Ambassador to Malta, Ms Ulla Gudmundson
______________________________________________________________       

 

- The Swedish Ambassador to Malta, or her representative,

 

- A representative of the Maltese government working on Malta’s climate change proposal to   the United Nations,

 

- A representative of the Malta Unborn Child Movement,

 

form a task group, within the coming weeks, to work on concrete recommendations to the Swedish, and successive EU Presidencies, so that within, and following, the sterling work initiated by the Swedish EU Presidency on Climate Change, the EU, as “a global actor”, includes climate change also in the womb and works for the protection from  harm, and the “sustainable development” and general well-being, of the 200 million unborn children, every year, in the EU and the world,
and future generations.                                         

 

Tony Mifsud,
Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement
Mob 7920 4840  Tel 21-636 027

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

MUCM Core Group
Malta Midwives Association  - Health Promotion Department
Social Assistance Secretariat  - National Council of Women

Il-HAJJA HIJA VALUR ASSOLUT - Arcisqof ta' Malta Pawlu Cremona - 07-11-2008

Konferenza - Hajja ta Kwalita ghat-Tarbija li se Titwieled - 07-11-2008 - mill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled

Mons Pawlu Cremona - Arcisqof ta' Malta

UFFIĊĊJU STAMPA

Il-Kurja ta’ l-Arċisqof, Floriana, MALTA

                                                                 

 Tel: 25906203, 21241281  Fax: 21242971

 

07 ta’ Novembru 2008

 

TQASSIM: MEDIA KOLLHA

MINN       : C. BUTTIGIEG

REF         : 143/2008

 

KONFERENZA – ĦAJJA TA’ KWALITA GĦAT-TARBIJA LI SE TITWIELED

 

Organizzata mill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled (MMTT) u l-Fergha Maltija tas-Socjeta Dinjia ghas-Sejha Islamika – (Ghaqda fil-MMTT)

 

Fic-Ċentru Islamiku, Kordin,  Paola, MALTA  - 07 ta’ Novembru 2008

______________________________________________________________

 

Intervent ta’ Mons. Arċisqof Pawl Cremona O.P.

 

Il-ħajja hija valur assolut

 

L-ewwelnett nixtieq nirringrazzja liII-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija li se Titwieled, flimkien mal-Fergħa Maltija tas-Soċjeta Dinjija għas-Sejħa Islamika, li organizzaw din iI-Konferenza fuq: Ħajja ta’ Kwalita għat-Tarbija Ii se Titwieled.  Nixtieq nirringrazzja lill-Moviment Malti dwar it-Tarbija Ii se titwieled mhux biss għaliex għamlu din iI-laqgħa, iżda wkoll għall-ħidma kollha tagħhom li jagħmlu jum wara jum biex jiddefendu l-ħajja f’pajjiżna.  Huma qegħdin isiru l-vuċi ta’ dawk kollha Ii m’għandhomx vuċi għaliex huma dgħajfin, bħalma huma t-trabi fil-ġuf.

 

Aħna nifirħu kull darba Ii naraw anki persuni barra r-reliġjonijiet prinċipali li jiddefendu I-ħajja fuq il-valur tagħha stess, għax jagħrfu li kull ħajja umana hi prezzjuża.

 

Iżda kull min jemmen f’Alla jħares lil hinn minn dak Ii jidher, għaliex jara f’kuIl ħajja umana I-id ta’ Alla, il-ĦalIieq.  Għalhekk ġejna hawn illum, Kristjani u membri taI-Islam biex niċcelebraw il-ħajja u IilI-Ħallieq li ħalaq liII-bniedem.

 

Qegħdin hawnhekk għaliex aħna nemmnu Ii l-ħajja ta’ kull persuna, milI-konċepiment sal-mewt hija valur, il-valur fundamentali, Ii minnha joħroġ kull dritt fundamentali ieħor. Inkunu qegħdin inkunu konsistenti meta ngħidu li I-ħajja hija l-valur fundamentali tas-socjeta meta nuruha b’żewġ modi.  L-ewwelnett, billi ngħożżuha, billi nagħmlu dak kollu li hu possibbli biex ngħożżuha u mmexxuha ’I quddiem.  It-tieni, billi niddefenduha kontra kull theddida u allura nuru u nistqarru Ii hu ħażin dak kollu li jmur kontra dan il-valur.  Ma nistgħux hawn ma nitkeIlmux fuq iI-kruha taI-abort, u nuru din il-kruha biex il-ħajja tidher isbaħ.  Sfortunatament, illum is-soċjeta tagħna tipprova tgħatti dan billi tivvinta kliem ieħor għall-qtil: termination of pregnancy għal qtil fl-abort; mercy-killing għall-qtil ta’ persuna Ii hija dgħajfa bil-mard jew bi-eta.

 

 

L-ispirazzjoni kristjana

 

Xtaqt Ii naqsam magħkom ukoll il-kontribut kristjan, I-ispirazzjoni kristjana ta’ dan kollu.Il-bidu tal-ħajja naqraw fuqu fl-ewwel kapitli tal-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi. Alla ħalaq kollox tajjeb, u fl-aħħar jum, ħalaq raġel u mara,  xbieha tiegħu. F’dak il-mument stess huwa għoIIa d-dinjita tar-raġel u l-mara meta għamilhom kollaboraturi miegħu fit-tnissil ta’ ħajja ġdida: “Nisslu u oktru u mlew l-art (1,28).  U dan jagħmel Ii l-ħajja hija valur assolut ħiereġ mingħand Alla.  Ma jiddependi minn ebda kunsiderazzjoni: Ia kif ġie mnissel, Ia meta ġie mnissel, Ia mir-rieda ta’ dawk li kkonċepuh. Id-dritt tiegħu ġej biss mill-fatt li huwa ‘hu’, għandu l-ħajja.  Minn dak il-mument, id-dritt tiegħu jsir daqs kull dritt ta’ kull persuna oħra. Ma nistgħux inħalluh Ii jiddependi mir-rieda ta’ ħaddieħor, inqas u inqas minn Ieġislazzjoni Ii tiddetermina jew tillimita d-dritt tiegħu għall-ħajja.  Aħna nifirħu għax-xjenza u s-soċjeta meta tidħol biex tħares iI-ħajja, kemm bħala Ieġislazzjoni biex tħares dan id-dritt, kif ukoll bħala possibbiltajiet lit-tarbija Ii jkollha bżonn xi kura medika, jew lill-ġenituri meta jkollhom bżonn għajnuna anki finanzjarja biex iwelldu u jgħajjxu Iit-tarbija.  Anki I-Knisja u movimenti fi ħdanha, u fost dawn il-Programm HOPE milI-Fondazzjoni Gift of Life, joffru l-għajnuna tagħhom biex l-ommijiet f’sitwazzjonijiet diffiċli biex iwelldu tarbija, ma jkunux waħidhom.

 

lżda wara d-dnub daħal il-konflitt Ii aħna parti minnu anki llum: huwa l-qtil ta’ Abel, I-innoċenti, minn Kajjin Ii kien immexxi minn interessi oħra.  ll-kliem ta’ Alla għadu jidwi llum ukoll fuq kull qtil: “Leħen id-demm ta’ ħuk qiegħed jgħajjatli mill-art” (Gen 4,10). Quddiem Alla, tal-aħħar, dawk Ii huma dgħajfa, jiġu l-ewwel. Il-Papa Ġwanni Pawlu II fisser dan bħala l-ġlieda bejn il-Vanġelu tal-Ħajja u l-kultura tal-mewt.

 

Il-ġuf huwa santwarju tal-ħajja

 

Sidna Ġesu Kristu daħal f’din il-ġlieda u aħna nieħduh bħala l-Għalliem u l-ispirazzjoni għalina.  Diġa Ġesu, l-lben ta’ Alla, qaddes il-ġuf għaliex huwa wkoll għammar fil-ġuf ta’ Marija ommu, u ferraħ Iil Eliżabetta u lil Ġwanni l-Battista biI-preżenza tiegħu.  Anki fil-ġuf it-tarbija hija ta’ ferħ għal min jemmen fil-ħajja. Il-ġuf huwa santwarju tal-ħajja, u l-umanita tkun qed tmur kontra d-dinjita tagħha meta tagħmlu post ta’ mewt u qtil.

 

Sidna Ġesu Kristu ppriedka fuq il-valur infinit ta’ kull bniedem quddiem Alla.  Meta Hu sar bniedem bħalna, lilna għamilna bħalu, nieħdu sehem ukoll mid-dinjita tiegħu. Kif jgħid San Pawl, fi Kristu l-Iben ta’ Alla, aħna nsiru wlied adottivi ta’ Alla l-Missier: “Alla bagħat lil lbnu, imwieled minn mara, imwieled taħt il-liġi, biex jifdi Iil dawk Ii kienu taħt il-ligi, biex ikollna I-adozzjoni ta’ wlied” (Gal 4,5).  Quddiem l-għajnejn insara, id-delitt taI-abort isir delitt mhux biss kontra l-persuna umana, iżda wkoll kontra l-iben jew il-bint ta’ Alla l-Missier.

 

Sidna Ġesu Kristu daħal ukoll f’din il-ġIieda għaliex għadda mit-theddid tal-ħajja ċkejkna tiegħu minn Erodi, meta kien għadu tarbija, u għaliex Huwa stess fuq is-Salib sar il-kenn, il-ħajja ta’ dawk kollha li jgħaddu milI-qtil ta’ ħajja innoċenti forsi kultant għaliex huma skomdi.   F’dawn iI-ġrajjiet, aħna nafdaw iI-vittmi kollha taI-abort, u ta’ kull qtil ieħor ta’ l-innoċenti, waqt Ii nwettqu l-fidi tagħna Ii l-parti tal-ħajja tagħna Ii mhix f’din id-dinja, iżda fi ħdan il-Missier fi-eternita, ma ħallihiex f’idejna, hekk Ii ma tistax tinqered mal-qtil tal-ħajja umana ta’ dawn it-trabi.

 

Jien nixtieq Ii nerġa’ nwettaqkom fil-missjoni tagħkom Ii tkomplu tiftħu l-għajnejn tas-soċjeta tagħna lejn dawn il-valuri sbieħ ta’ kull persuna, anki, u b’mod speċjali, fil-mument tad-dgħufija tagħha fil-ġuf tal-omm, Ii jinkludi wkoll Ii turu l-kruha u I-konsegwenzi taI-abort; Ii tkunu qrib Iejn dawk li-ġenituri, l-aktar l-ommijiet Ii qegħdin quddiem it-tentazzjoni Ii jtemmu l-ħajja tat-tarbija tagħhom, tgħinuhom li jagħmlu għażla favur iI-ħajja tat-tarbija, u tgħinu fir-rikonċiIjazzjoni ta’ dawk l-ommijiet Ii waslu biex jagħmlu I-abort, ħalli fl-indiema tagħhom, u fid-dawl ta’ Sidna Ġesu Kristu, Ii ħareġ il-Ħajja miII-Mewt, jerġgħu jsibu valur ġdid fil-ħajja.

 

Ċentru Islamiku, Kordin

07 ta’ Novembru 2008

 

Pre-polluted babies - by Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement - Times of Malta 3-10-2009

Tony Mifsud , Coordinator Malta Unborn Child Movement

     

 

During the parliamentary debate on climate change, shadow minister for the environment Leo Brincat stated, among other things, that the importance of emission reduction management was great, and so could be its effects on tourism and business.

As reported in this paper (September 30), he also said that while the environment must perforce be balanced with economics it should be remembered that climate change was not only an environmental consideration. The environment was a big and important aspect, but climate change brought with it dimensions of foreign, security, and other considerations, including ecology, socio-economic, health and quality of life.

As quoted, he did not elaborate on health and quality of life. Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, also reported in the same issue, made no reference at all to these considerations.

These must be given great priority by all members of Parliament in the current debate on climate change.

The Malta Unborn Child Movement very recently brought the subject of climate change in the womb to the attention of the Maltese government and the Swedish Presidency of the EU through The Times, very close to the two seminars on climate change organised by the Swedish ambassador to Malta.

Unfortunately, during both events there was no mention of climate change in the womb, nor of the initiatives which should be taken to protect unborn children from harm by industrial chemicals, at both local and EU levels.

This in spite of the fact that, lately, we have had a case, taken to court, of alleged harm, even death, to an unborn child by the exposure of a pregnant mother at the place of work to a particular industrial chemical.

Not so in the US. An environment working group is campaigning with the slogans: Babies Are Born Pre-polluted. Let's Change That; and Let's Pass The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act. They are claiming that the human race is now polluted with hundreds of industrial chemicals - with little or no understanding of the consequences.

They are lamenting that their current federal chemical law is clearly failing them and are clamouring to have the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act to protect human health from the thousands of toxic industrial chemicals on the market.

They are claiming that the pollution in people is increasingly associated with a range of serious diseases and conditions from childhood cancer, to autism, ADHD, learning deficits, infertility, and birth defects and that even while their knowledge about the link between chemical exposure and human disease grows, their government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals on the market.

They believe that the Kid-Safe Chemical Act will change all this through a fundamental overhaul of their nation's chemical regulatory law. Specifically, a Kid-Safe Chemicals Act requires that industrial chemicals be safe for infants, children and other vulnerable groups and that new chemicals be tested before they are sold.

While the debate on climate change in Parliament continues, the Malta Unborn Child Movement appeals to both sides to consider very seriously the above facts and take a more holistic view of the impact of climate change on unborn children, in particular, our present and future generations.

This to make the necessary provisions in law and in so many administrative structures, to safeguard the interests and general wellbeing of unborn children.
It is suggested that all members of Parliament and all MEPs view the DVD on chemicals and unborn children on http://www.ewg.org/kid-safe-chemicals-act-blog/kid-safe-chemicals-act/ .      

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta - 6-11-09 - Inter-faith concerns for the unborn child - by Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement.

Organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inter-faith concerns for the unborn child - Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement - Malta ___________________________________________________________________,_________________________________

 

Between  the 4th and 6th December 2008 top Catholic and Muslim scholars met in Rome to give their  contribution to the promotion of dialogue and peace during the turbulent times of the world financial crisis. Christianity and Islam value very highly the promotion of world peace and the dignity of human life from its very beginning. Since then the two religions formed a forum on ongoing dialogue which they named  “A Common Word “.

In their final joint statement the two sides declared, and I quote:  “ human life is a most precious gift of God to each person...and it should therefore be preserved and honoured in all its stages." They added, “Human dignity is derived from the fact that every human person is created by a loving God out of love, and has been endowed with the gifts of reason and free will, and therefore enabled to love God and others. On the firm basis of these principles, the person requires the respect of his or her original dignity and his or her human vocation. Therefore, he or she is entitled to full recognition of his or her identity and freedom by individuals, communities and governments, supported by civil legislation that assures equal rights and full citizenship.”

On the 31st October 2007, in Jerusalem, in a Joint Communique at the second meeting of the Chief Rabbis of Israel and the Archbishop of Canterbury the two sides declared "We are very pleased that the first meeting of the Anglican Jewish Commission of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel took place in July in a positive atmosphere. The papers provided for that meeting and the discussions that took place on its theme of the sanctity of human life were constructive and insightful."

They continued: “They revealed a depth of mutual agreement, rooted in our shared scriptural heritage, that human life is a gift from God to be valued from conception to the natural ending of life. Between the beginnings of life and its ending, human life is to be nurtured and enabled to flourish and all violence against other human beings is to be deplored as a defacing of the image of God in humanity. We affirm this understanding and wish to encourage Jews and Anglicans around the world to engage together on this basis.”

"In this connection,” the Jew and the Anglicans continued “we noted the recent letter from Muslim scholars and religious leaders to the Christian Churches. The letter 'A Common Word', though addressed to Christian Churches, also makes clear its respect for Hebrew scripture in citing directly from the Book of Deuteronomy and in acknowledging the inspiration that this provided for their understanding of the Quranic teachings on the unity and love of God and of neighbour."

On the 9 November 2008, three days after the ending of the Catholic-Muslim dialogue in Rome, in a message on “A Common Word and Hindus” Hindus applauded the meeting and called  it “a step in the right direction”.

The Universal Society of Hinduism said that "..it was wonderful to watch the world’s two major religions coming together and opening a new chapter of understanding, trust, cooperation, mutual respect, and love, and highlighting the common ground."

It further added that "..the concluding joint declaration of both the groups contained some commendable ideas like honoring human life, respecting human dignity, ensuring equality among men and women and becoming instruments of love and harmony."

 

In a short letter about her unborn child a Buddhist mother declared “I instinctively knew I was pregnant. I found myself, hand on belly, making a heartfelt pledge in a tender whisper: If you’re there, you’re welcome and I’ll do my best for you. This was the beginning of the greatest love of my life."

 

Bahá'ís believe that the soul appears at the moment of conception, so the parents pray for the well-being of the unborn child  while it is still in the womb

Immediately after Independence, 45 years ago, Malta made an impact on the world scene when, in 1967, irrespective of its small size but because of its special characteristics, it successfully promoted the concept of the Sea as the Common Heritage of Mankind.

In 1988, twenty years after,  Malta again hit the world headlines when it proposed international concerted positive action on climate change to the international community.

In 2008, again twenty years after,  the Maltese government declared, and I quote: “Malta will continue to actively support the protection of the basic human rights of children in the world, particularly as laid out in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child ... Malta will continue to support international actions and policies that respect the rights of the unborn child and foster the best interests of children. In this context, the Malta  Ministry of Foreign Affairs will seek a proactive engagement in the activities of UNICEF and other international bodies and initiatives dedicated to the welfare of children.”

A third opportunity seems to be arising for Malta to proclaim, again, before the world community that “all men are created equal” and that all unborn children, 200 million every year world-wide, including 4000 in Malta -  the common beginners in all mankind, and "created equal" everywhere - should be considered the “common concern of all mankind” and that their dignity, rights, protection, care and development should be the common moral, legal and political responsibility of the world community in word, on paper and in deed, everywhere.

The proposal fits also into the concept of Malta as a Centre for Peace, and a Bridge between Religions in the Euro-Mediterranean zone, where Malta is already playing a very vital strategic political role in the interests of peace in the region, and the world.    

The Malta Unborn Child Movement - MUCM  has already made a significant contribution to the development of the concepts of the dignity, fundamental rights, protection and development of the unborn child by publishing, in 2007, the first Maltese Charter on the dignity, rights, protection and development of the unborn child.  The Charter was sent to the European Commission, on its request to civil society organizations in the EU, as a contribution from Malta towards the building of the first EU Charter on the Rights of the Child. The EU acknowledged this contribution in writing.

In the final statement of the 11th colloquium of the Catholic Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, in Rome on 17-12-2008, the two sides declared and I quote  “Considering the role religions can and should have in society, religious leaders also have a cultural and social role to play in promoting fundamental ethical values, such as justice, solidarity, peace, social harmony and the common good of society as a whole, especially the needy, the weak, migrants and the oppressed.”  Surely, the unborn child falls in more than one of these categories.

 

It is known that The Universal Society of Hinduism has suggested that a similar dialogue be established between Catholicism and Hinduism.

Today the Movement calls upon the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahai communities in Malta, and the Maltese government, to join forces by making joint, or separate, contributions from Malta towards the promotion of the well-being of unborn children. They can also  promote initiatives on climate change, this time climate change  in the womb, with other faith-based communites in Malta and elsewhwere.

The Malta Unborn Child Movement augurs that during the first Inter-faith Celebration of Life, which is being organised in Malta today by the Movement, representatives and members of the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahai communities in Malta will establish the basis for further work with other faiths and civil institutions, in Malta and abroad, together and separately, to promote, everywhere, in a proactive way, the dignity, the well-being, the care, the protection and the wholesome and sustainable development of unborn children in their mothers’ wombs...their first home, their first environment, their first world. 

Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement  - Mob 00356 7920 4840 – Tel 00356 2163 6027  mifsudtony@gmail.com
Frid, 6-11-2009 - Robert Samut Hall, Floriana, MALTA
                                                                    ............................

 

DECLARATION ON THE UNBORN CHILD by the Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahai Communities in Malta  

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life Friday, 6th November, 2009  -  Robert Samut Hall, Floriana, MALTA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The first homes...we build together.

 

At the first Inter-faith Celebration of Life held in Malta by the Malta Unborn Child Movement on 6th November, 2009 at the Robert Samut Hall, Floriana, representatives, expectant parents, school children, teachers and parents of the Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahai communities in Malta recited prayers and made presentations on the unborn child on behalf of their respective communities.

 

The Malta Unborn Child Movement and the Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahai communities in Malta will work with other faiths and civil institutions, in Malta and abroad, together and separately, to promote, everywhere, in a proactive way, the dignity, the well-being, the care, the protection and the wholesome and sustainable development of unborn children in their mothers’ wombs...their first home, their first environment, their first world.                                                                                                                                                     0 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - The Unborn Child - Messages by Members of the Hindu Community in Malta.

Organised by Malta Unborn Child Movement

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Messages by Sonaal A Nandwani, Krsna & Simnar Mohnani of the Hindu Community in Malta at the Inter-faith Celebration of Life organized by the Malta Unborn Child Movement at Robert Samut Hall, Floriana, Malta on 6th November, 2009

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Presentation by Sonaal Nandwani

 

Wherever we may be in our lives at this moment, whatever we may be facing, whether we are married or single, whether we are a student or a teacher, a businessman or a housewife, we all share one thing in common. We were once an unborn child, floating in our mother’s womb and sharing in all her experiences.

 

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for this opportunity to allow us to share with you the Hindu perspective on the unborn child.

 

In the Hindu tradition, there are 16 samskaras, or rites of passage. Virtually every culture has such ceremonies to mark important events in a person’s life like a Baptism, a Bar mitzvah, a wedding, a funeral. These samskaras, or celebrations, are there to mark a person’s journey through the different stages of life, and are a means of bringing divinity & sanctity in all that we do.

 

To illustrate the significance of the unborn child in the Hindu tradition, three out of the 16 samskaras are to be performed before a child is born and those are the ones I want to share with you today.

 

The first samskara begins before conception. The mother & father do austerities so that the mind is pure to attract a child that is blessed with positive qualities.

 

The second samskara happens after conception, at around the third month of pregnancy. At this time, the unborn child begins to grow rapidly, and this ceremony is done to create the right atmosphere for the genes to flourish.

 

The third samskara is typically performed during the 7th month of pregnancy. At this time, aside from the physical development happening, the child develops awareness, becomes capable of learning and intelligence begins to generate in the child’s mind. If good, positive thoughts are fed to the unborn child through the mother, these have a profound effect upon the thinking of the child after birth.

 

I too am a mother. And those of you who are mothers in the audience can relate when I tell you that although there is great joy and excitement during pregnancy, there are also moments of fear, anxiety, doubt… Will I be a good mother? How can I teach my child all the values that he should grow up with? One big purpose that these ceremonies have is to make the mother and child feel welcome by the family and society. The family and friends that come together for these celebrations are telling the mother, ‘We are here. We are supporting you,’ and telling the unborn child, ‘We are awaiting your arrival with open arms and we are here to teach you and guide you as you grow.’

Many of our ancient scriptures contain stories of babies learning in the womb and manifesting all this knowledge once they’re in the world. These stories have bee passed down through generations and serve to teach us that everything that the child hears in the womb is kept as an impression.

 

Science has recently told us that a child can hear everything in the womb and can react to the different stimuli, yet for centuries, expectant mothers in our community were encouraged to listen to Vedic mantras, which are recited in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit language conveys vibrations with every sound that is recited and this sound travels into the womb where the unborn child is able to imbibe this positive and spiritual atmosphere.

 

It is of utmost importance that a mother keeps her mind quiet, peaceful, happy, and cheerful. She is advised to read or listen to stories of the scriptures and keep away from places or activities that may generate a lot of negative emotions. You might find this surprising, but in our culture, pregnant women are not encouraged to go to a cemetery or funeral. This might seem odd, almost superstitious, to many of you. But we abide by these traditions because we strongly believe that every single sensation from the outside is filtered through to the child.

 

As we today celebrate the unborn child, let us bring this knowledge and awareness into everything we do to create in our world an atmosphere of peace, love, harmony and joy… all the positive and uplifting values that will trickle into the wombs of every expectant mother, and into the individual that is the unborn child.                Thank you.

 

 

The Unborn Child

 

by Krsna Mohnani

Hindu Community in Malta

 

 

Here I am,

Inside my gentle mummy,

I feel amazing inside,

As I kick in her tummy.

It’s the wonderful feeling,

Of being alive,

Knowing I’ll be out soon,

So, to be good, I’ll strive.

I know I was created,

By people who love me,

I know I’m cared for,

I’m beautiful, I’m lovely.

I know it’ll be remarkable,

The moment I jump out,

It’ll probably be exciting,

I won’t cry, I shan’t pout.

I wander what it’s like out there,

Outside this cosy place,

I hope I’ve done good karma,

So in what I do, I’ll ace!

I’m precious, I’m a jewel,

I’m kind and I’m mild,

I’m glowing inside with happiness,

Because I’m the unborn child!

 

 

 

The Unborn Child

 

by Simran Mohnani

Hindu Community in Malta

 

Here I am, it’s just me inside, coiled up and cosy in my mummy’s womb. It feels amazing to actually be here in the world, I just can’t wait till I’m out! I can hear something… It’s my parents… There they are talking about how I’ve changed their lives for the better, forever. It’s finally my chance to shine in the world, constantly encouraged and surrounded by people who love me… my family… I wonder what it’ll be like: the blue sky and its sea and the unforgettable experiences as breathtaking nature enfolds me in its wing… It’s my turn, I feel so alive… alive and kicking, and most of all, on top of the world!

 

 

My mum tells me that these are one of the most joyous moments of her whole life because there’s actually a living thing breathing inside her. It’s the real thing, something that has totally changed her and my dad’s life. She is bearing a child that God has patiently created and loves so dearly. I listen to every single word she tells me because this is my very beginning. As parents experience every moment of their child’s growth, it’s as if they are reliving their own childhood again, from scratch but this time they are in charge of making sure that we grow up as loyal, happy citizens of society. My mum says that she feels she’s living two lives because what I feel, hear and taste, she too is experiencing the same. The feeling’s so totally out of this world, it’s really hard to describe. We are one.

 

 

I feel that I was definitely born under a lucky star, God is certainly taking care of us because there are many people in this world who however much they want, simply can’t conceive. I’m one of the very lucky ones to have actually made it in this human form because there are others who have died naturally, before they are able to make it out and experience the world. However, there are others who are worse off because they are cruelly killed, so I promise to continue spreading the Hindu word of non-violence – another thing I hope to gain out of my beautiful life… My mum’s at it again…sshh! She’s speaking to me. I’m her chance to show to the world the Lord’s creation that she so dearly cherishes and loves. I can’t wait to get out and see all these delightful faces that are speaking to me now!

 

 

I feel butterflies in my tummy; I wonder what my mum’s going through… I’m coming out! Finally I’m here in the open! My chance has arrived and I feel like I could fly to the moon! It’s my turn to show what I can do for the world! It’s my chance to be a good citizen! Jithe paer, uthe rakhu… God please bless me and my family and be with us all through both difficult and happy times.                                                                     ú

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Message by Leyla Brassesco Bahai Community in Malta

------------------------------------

-----------------------------------

 Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I am glad to be here to celebrate together the sanctity of life and I wish to express my appreciation to the organizers of this wonderful event. It is my hope that this first meeting of ours be followed by others and that followers of other religions may join us in this world embracing effort to inspire a new vision of life on our planet to our  human fellows.

 

First of all I wish to introduce myself : I am a Baha’i, a follower of the Baha’i Faith,which is the fourth monotheistic religion, descending from Abraham, present in the Mediterranean region whose holy places are also located mainly in the Holy Land.

 

The beauty and sanctity of life lay in the life itself : men come into existence at the conception and their reality is essentially spiritual. Life is a God given gift and a continuous creative act of God. This consideration should lead us to see the sacredness of life as it is of divine origin. Since its beginning in the womb of mother it should be safeguarded, protected, surrounded by a lovingly caring environment in which one can hear music, prayers, spiritual conversations. It is evident is the role the family can play. But, besides sanctified individuals, we have to build a sanctified family and a sanctified society. If we succeed in this endeavour a new race of men  would arise and the entire world would become a paradise ruled by love and justice.

 

There is a similitude between the period of life in the womb of mother and the one spent in this earthly life. “In the beginning of his human life man was embryonic in the world of matrix. There he received capacity and endowment for the reality of human existence. … he needed eyes … he needed ears … he obtained them there in… preparation of his new existence. … Therefore in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. … Just as he prepared himself in the world of the matrix by acquiring forces necessary in this sphere of existence, so likewise the indispensable forces of the divine existence must be potentially attained in this world.   

 

That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore man has need of illumination here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world ofperfections; virtues and perfections must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world he must seek them. That is the Kingdom of life everlasting; it must be attained during this vanishing existence.”

 

However, efforts should be made and endeavour be exerted to attain spiritual virtues and “to establish the word of truth with eloquence and wisdom and to dispel falsehood from the face of the earth.” We can put in motion, through the God’s invisible assistance, the process of ‘knowledge, volition and action’. “Through the high endeavours of the nation’s leaders, all will live cradled, secure and in peace.”

 

Of course, we also need to have a unified vision of the real needs of our life in order to join our efforts towards a common goal : the wellbeing of human life both materially and spiritually. And this gathering is today a tangible sign of such vision.

 

What is the role of religions in the celebration of life? We should know that Religion is the most powerful instrument to establish peace, unity and prosperity in the world. Irreligiosity, spreading everywhere, is the basic cause of the problems facing humanity nowadays. Religions are the depositories of the Word of God, that is to say of the sets of principles and laws sent by God that, if willingly accepted and implemented, will promote and sustain an ever advancing civilization for mankind.

 

They have in common the same Source and their teachings are essentially the same.Few lines about unity. Referring to religions we read : “let us leave the discordant arguments concerning outwards forms, and let us join together to hasten forward the Divine Cause of unity, until all humanity knows itself to be one family, joined together in love.”

 

“Unity is necessary to existence. Love is the very cause of life; on the other hand,     3   separation brings death. In the world of material creation, for instance, all things owe their actual life to unity.  So it is with the great body of humanity. The wonderful Law of Attraction, Harmony and Unity, holds together this marvellous Creation. As with the whole, so with the parts; whether a flower or a human body, when the attracting principle is withdrawn from it, the flower or the man dies. It is therefore clear that  attraction, harmony, unity and Love, are the cause of life, whereas repulsion, discord, hatred and separation bring death”

 

“The unity of God is logical, and this idea is not antagonistic to the conclusions arrived at by scientific study.” “When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, … shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world, which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles – and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God. Unity is the expression of the loving power of God and reflects the reality of divinity.”

 

The undeniable importance of religions to contribute to the solution of the world  sicknesses is recognized more and more by governments and international organizations. Two days ago, leaders representing the world’s major religions, gathered in UK, with the presence of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and HRH The Prince Philip, in a celebratory meeting that emphasized the role religion can play to inspire grassroots change and make “peace with the planet”.

 

Few copies of the relevant report are with Mr. Mifsud for those interested to read it. Now, I would like to close my presentation with the following words taken from the Writings of the Baha’i Faith:

 

“Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful … In the world of existence there is indeed no greater power than the power of love.”

 

Thank you.

Leyla Brassesco

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Presentation by Students, Islamic School, Malta

by Malta Unborn Child Movement

------------------------------------------------------

 

Dialogue  between Mum and her Unborn Child

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Mum:  Salam aliekom dear little one how are you tonight?

 

Baby: Waleikom as salam dear mum, I’ve been waiting for our daily talk today.

 

Mum :  Why little dear? your voice seems sad not like any other day.

 

Baby:  Mum, I’m so safe in here, it’s peaceful and silent, not like out there.

 

Mum: It’s true there’s noise out here, but there’s also the sound of trees as they move in the wind, the sweet clatter of rain, the sound of the birds in the morning and then there’s the lovely voice of young children who play happily, without all this your life would be boring.

 

Baby: Mum, I’m afraid other children could hurt me, sometimes what I hear I don’t like. It’s as if people like hurting each other, and when they do without care they just shrug, why can’t they change a bad word to a hug?

 

Mum: Then let it be you who start the change, if you hear a bad word just give a nice answer, if you’re put down by someone just give him a smile, it’s hard at first but I promise it works after a while.

 

Baby:  Mum it’s hard to be patient, in a world which seems full of corruption and threat, it seems there’s no more place for true values, the closer they are to riches and status the further from God do they get.

 

Mum: It’s true dear little one, people tend to forget that all they have is from their Creator, indeed life can be so deceiving sometimes, we run after all our worldly things and for them so hardly we strive, while seriously forgetting the true purpose of life.

 

Baby:  Mum in here I’m always remembering God as I go through stages of creation, as I get oxygen while there’s no air at all, as I get big while the space in here seems so small.  What if I forget when I’m out there, what if in the trap of those riches I fall?

 

Mum: Remember to cherish this miracle of yours everyday, be thankful for being healthy, for having someone who cares, for moments of peace, for a fresh drink of water or for a lovely surprise every now and then, be thankful for every little thing, for they’re all gifts from God.  Above all remember this life is a test, cling on to the truth and forget all the rest.

 

Baby: Mum, now there’s you to protect and remind me, to guide me with wise words and praise.  What if someday you’re not there for me, how will it be far from your caring gaze?

 

Mum: If you let all my teachings flow through your heart, if you learn well what I’m here to teach you you will have my walls always there to support you whenever you feel that your world’s falling apart.

 

Baby: Thanks mum, there’s still  something more if you don’t mind…I wished to thank you for the love you give me for treating me like I’m human, not like a thing inside your body you can get rid of, I’ve heard dreadful ends of babies who didn’t  get a chance to be born.  God surely is the all merciful, for He teaches mercy to mums, they can get rid of an embryo saying it’s not time for a baby, there are things more important in my list right above, and yet they decide to nurse and to grow it and to handle it with care and with love.

 

Mum:  How could I face God and enter his Paradise if I destroy the most important gift He gave me in life? How could I be worthy of His mercy if I don’t see this miracle alive?  You children fill life with happiness and laughter, you make us forget all the worries with your unconditional love, didn’t you know that you’re a special gift from above?

 

Baby: Thanks mum.  One thing I’ll surely miss which is one of my greatest fears.  I ‘ll miss being so close to your heart, right now I’m below it, its peaceful beat is so sweet in my ears.

 

Mum: Don’t fear little dear, because your place is not below my heart.  Your place is inside it and that place will be yours forever whether we’re close or far apart.

 

Baby: Oh my, pretty lucky, ain’t I?                                                           0

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - Presentations by Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu & Bahai Communities in Malta

Organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement

--------------------------------------------------

 

 

See respective presentations and messages by the five faith-based communities in Malta in Articles Section of MUCM website

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-09 - Praise God for Life - Words & Music by Joe C Aqulina Malta

Organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement

--------------------------------------

PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

 

WORDS AND MUSIC -  JOE C AQUILINA - MALTA

 

REFRAIN

1 PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM

 

REFRAIN

2.  THANK YOU FOR THE SPLENDOUR OF CREATION

THANK YOU FOR THE JOY THAT YOU BRING

WHENEVER A CHILD COMES TO LIFE ANEW

WE SING ALL PRAISE TO YOU.

 

REFRAIN

3.    PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM

 

REFRAIN

4.   THANK YOU "PER LA GOIA DALLA VITA"

THANK YOU FOR THE "JOIE DE VIVRE"

TOGETHER  WE SING TO THE AUTHOR OF LIFE

WE PRAISE YOU GOD MOST HIGH

 

 

REFRAIN

5.   PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM

 

REFRAIN

6.   CREATOR, SUSTAINER,

REVEALER OF LIFE

ALMIGHTY, INVENTOR

AL HAMDU L ILLAH

 

 REFRAIN

7.   PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GR AZZI  ILLUM

 

REFRAIN

8.   THANK YOU THAT YOU KNIT US  IN SILENCE

THANK YOU FOR WORKS OH GOD

MOREOVER WE THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE

WE  SING HALLALUYAH

 

REFRAIN

9.   PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM

 

 

REFRAIN

10.   AS I BOW BEFORE THE MYSTERY

OF THE WONDROUS SACRED WOMB

I BOW MY HEAD AND WHISPER:

NAMASTE  TO YOU

 

 

REFRAIN

11.   PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM

 

REFRAIN

12.   PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE

AL HAMDU LILLAH

THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD IN THE WOMB

TA' DAN NGHIDULEK GRAZZI  ILLUM          0

 

 

Inter-faith Celebration of Life in Malta 6-11-2009 - The Unborn Child - Catholic Social Teaching - Fr Edgar Busuttil SJ Malta

Organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement

--------------------------------------

 

The Unborn Child:  Catholic Social Teaching 

 

Scripture; Tradition and Magisterum

 

by Rev Father Edgar Busuttil S.J. – Malta

 

Psalm 139

 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me  were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

 

The unborn child in the Gospel

 

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world  John16:21

 

 Evangelium Vitae #1

 

"  the Birth of the Messiah is ... seen to be the foundation and fulfilment of joy at every child born into the world (cf. Jn 16:21). 

 

The Status of the Human Embryo - Evangelium Vitae # 60

 

“ Even if the presence of a spiritual soul cannot be ascertained by empirical data, the results themselves of scientific research on the human embryo provide "a valuable indication for discerning by the use of reason a personal presence at the moment of the first appearance of a human life: how could a human individual not be a human person?".

 

 The Sacredness of Human Life - Catechism of the Catholic Church  # 2257

 

“"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being."

 

 On procured abortion - Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2271

 

“ Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law...”

 

Donum vitae #5 

 

“From the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in an absolute way because man is the only creature on earth that God has 'wished for himself' (D.V.#5)

 

Personae Dignitate

 

“The body of a human being from the very first stages can never be reduced merely to a group of cells. The embryonic human body develops progressively according to a well-defined program with its proper finality, as is apparent in the birth of every baby.

 

“The dignity of a person must be recognised in every human being from conception to natural death. The fundamental principle expresses a great yes to human life and must be at the centre of ethical reflection on biomedical research, which has an ever great importance in today’s world.”  

Celebrating the key value of human life - Times of Malta - Editorial, 7-2-2011, on Pro-Life Day in Malta

TIMES of Malta - Editorial 7-2-2011

Editorial 7-2-2011

The Malta Unborn Child Movement marked Pro-Life Day yesterday, the main activity being a Celebration of Life event at St John’s Co-Cathedral, in Valletta. The occasion once again served as an opportunity to strongly affirm society’s commitment to promote the value of every human life.

 Set up in 2004, the movement is inspired by the respect and dignity due to all human beings, always and everywhere, from the moment of their conception until born and after. From its member organisations, now totalling 45, it expects an undertaking to promote quality life for the unborn child by raising awareness, through their activities, about the dignity, rights, protection and development of the unborn child in Malta and beyond.

 The movement acknowledges the Maltese people are repeatedly showing, in one social survey after another and by means of official declarations in Parliament, by the civil authorities and by civil society, they value highly human life from the moment of conception. It is also a fact they recognize themselves as leading protectors of the unborn child.

Nonetheless, there is always scope to increase awareness for instance about the unique privilege enjoyed by both parents as equal partners in the conception of the unborn child and the special opportunity for both parents to help the unborn child – with all the support society can give them – develop its full potential and its personality, from the very beginning of life.

 It is therefore good to see that the movement’s aims include that of making individuals and the whole of society more conscious of the big responsibility of both parents and of the political, medical, industrial, legal, social, educational and other agents in protecting the unborn child from all physical, mental and emotional harm until born.

In today’s world, legal, permissive abortion has become a fact of life deeply embedded and normalised in many consciences and countries. However, this is not the only problem. The risk that not all parents understand or shoulder well enough their responsibility towards their offspring is becoming all the more evident perhaps, unfortunately, also among us.

 Moreover, there are problems such as those of children who end up not healthy or happy by, for example, being exposed to alcohol, drugs, smoking or other substances the mother takes when pregnant.

 All this shows there is always room for stronger and better emphasis on the value of human life, the complementary responsibilities of both parents towards children and the wellbeing of mothers and children during pregnancy and after.

On receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who many people consider as the spiritual president of the pro-life movements in the world, had the courage to say that “it is the principle of abortion that endangers peace in the world”. There is much truth in this because what true peace can there be without respect for life?

 In this context, the celebration of Pro-Life Day should also be seen as an occasion for people’s representatives to seek to commit themselves always better as veritable promoters of the interests of the unborn child also in international scenes.

 Elementary coherence requires those who truly seek peace to energetically safeguard life. Celebrating the key value of human life through a genuine and constant effort to protect it also means a contribution towards authentic peace. This, of course, necessitates looking beyond our shores where human life has been and is still being lost at the hands of proud, stubborn, greedy and power-hungry political leaders and criminals.

 

Jum il-Ħajja - Il-Hadd 6 ta' Frar, 2011 - Celebrazzjoni tal-Hajja - Diskors minn Ms Michelle Muscat, mart il-Kap ta' l-Oppozizzjoni

Manifestazzjoni Favur il-Ħajja

Diskors tas-Sinjura Michelle Muscat - mart il-Kap ta’ l-Oppożizzjoni

Sinjura Gonzi, Sinjuri:

 

F’ ismi personali, f’isem żewġi u f’isem il-Partit Laburista nirringrazzjakom tal-istedina tagħkom għal din iċ-Ċelebrazzjoni favur il-ħajja. 

 

Jiena nħossi fortunata li kuljum niċċelebra jum il-ħajja x’ħin kull filgħodu inqum u nara liż-żewġ uliedi reqdin, ħafna drabi, mrekknin ħdejnna.  Kull ħin u kull moment nirringrazzja lil Bambin talli tana dan ir-rigal tant sabiħ.  X’ ħin inħares lejhom u nismagħhom jieħdu in–nifs inħossni kompluta ... u t-tbatijiet tal–ħajja ta’ kuljum jisfumaw fix-xejn. 

 

Il-pjaċir tiegħi li qegħda hawn jikber mill-fatt li nemmen li f’pajjiżna għandna kunsens wiesgħa favur il-ħajja u kontra l-abort.  Jien ngħid li dan il-kunsens ma’ jeżistix biss għaliex il-partiti politiċi huma, b’ mod ċar ħafna, kontra l-abort, iżda għaliex il-poplu tagħna, fil-maġġoranza kbira tiegħu, jemmen li l-ħajja ta’ tarbija li għadha ma’ twelditx m’għandhiex tiġi mitmuma.

 

Nistqarr imma  li nitnikket kull meta jkun hemm min jipprova jitfa dubju dwar dan l-impenn u pożizzjoni politika minn kwalunkwe politiku.  Nitnikket għax naf li ħafna drabi dan ikun biss logħob politiku immirat biex ibeżża’ u maħ jkunx ibbażat fuq l-ebda verita’.

 

Onestament nemmen li dan l-impenn huwa aktar sod minn kwalunkwe liġi.

 

Nixtieq nieħu l-opportunita’ li nitkellem dwar qasam li ħafna drabi jkun injorat u mpoġġi fil-ġenb, iżda li huwa settur għal qalbi ħafna.  Qed
nitkellem dwar l-ommijiet li jkunu tilfu trabi tagħhom għax ikollhom miscarriage.

 

Bħala omm li għaddejt minn din l-esperjenza personalment, u bħala persuna li għandi bosta ħbieb li għaddew minn din l-esperjenza, naf kemm hija waħda trawmatika.

 

Nistqarr iżda li qabel ma’ għaddejt minnha kont naħseb li miscarriage hija xi ħaġa kważi minuri.  Medikament jista’ jkun il-każ, iżda psikoloġikament din hija trawma f’ xi waqtiet kbira, kemm għar-raġel u fuq kollox għal mara.

 

Ommijiet li jgħaddu minn din it-trawma ħafna drabi jitħallew waħedhom u ftit li xejn jingħataw l-għajnuna psikoloġika li tant jkollhom bżonn.  Din it-trawma tkompli tikber jekk wara l-laxkament, dawn l-ommijiet – għax jien nemmen li xorta jkunu ommijiet anki jekk ma jkunux raw it-tarbija f’idejhom – jitħallew f’ soddod ħdejn ommijiet oħra li għadhom iridu jwelldu.  Din hija sitwazzjoni li toħloq sofferenza lit-tnejn li huma għal xejn, għax tista tissolva bi ftit ħsieb, organiżazzjoni u ħafna aktar sensitivita’.

 

Bħalissa qed nisimgħu ukoll ħafna dwar l-In Vitro Fertilisation, jew IVF, jiġifieri dak il-proċess li permezz tiegħu koppji li jkollhom problemi biex ikollhom tfal, jiġu mgħejjuna sabiex jgħaddu minn din l-esperjenza. Għalija dan huwa proċess li nikkunsidrah bħala miraklu fil-ħajja moderna tal-lum.

 

Ma’ naħsibx li huwa l-ħin li noqgħod nidħol fid-dettal dwar dan is-suġġett.  Nillimita ruħi li ngħid li nemmen li s-sitwazzjoni preżenti  f’Malta, bla regolamentazzjoni  ta’ xejn, mhix tenibbli.  Għandu jkollna qafas ta’ regolamenti ċari, etiċi u realistiċi.

 

Fl-aħħar nett nawguralkom aktar xogħol  favur il-ħajja sabiex ikollna aktar koppji li jkollhom it-tfal ghaliex  il-ferħ li jġibu huma ma’ jista’ jinxtara bl-ebda ammont ta’ flus.

 

Mill-ħdid nirringrazzjakom tal-istedina tagħkom u nixtieq lil Moviment Favur il-Ħajja kull suċċess.

 

Times of Malta - Editorial - 7-2-2011- Celebrating the key value of human life

Times of Malta - Editorial - 7-2-2011

Editor

The Malta Unborn Child Movement marked Pro-Life Day yesterday, the main activity being a Celebration of Life event at St John’s Co-Cathedral, in Valletta. The occasion once again served as an opportunity to strongly affirm society’s commitment to promote the value of every human life.

 

Set up in 2004, the movement is inspired by the respect and dignity due to all human beings, always and everywhere, from the moment of their conception until born and after. From its member organisations, now totalling 45, it expects an undertaking to promote quality life for the unborn child by raising awareness, through their activities, about the dignity, rights, protection and development of the unborn child in Malta and beyond.

 

The movement acknowledges the Maltese people are repeatedly showing, in one social survey after another and by means of official declarations in Parliament, by the civil authorities and by civil society, they value highly human life from the moment of conception. It is also a fact they recognize themselves as leading protectors of the unborn child.

Nonetheless, there is always scope to increase awareness for instance about the unique privilege enjoyed by both parents as equal partners in the conception of the unborn child and the special opportunity for both parents to help the unborn child – with all the support society can give them – develop its full potential and its personality, from the very beginning of life.

 

It is therefore good to see that the movement’s aims include that of making individuals and the whole of society more conscious of the big responsibility of both parents and of the political, medical, industrial, legal, social, educational and other agents in protecting the unborn child from all physical, mental and emotional harm until born.

In today’s world, legal, permissive abortion has become a fact of life deeply embedded and normalised in many consciences and countries. However, this is not the only problem. The risk that not all parents understand or shoulder well enough their responsibility towards their offspring is becoming all the more evident perhaps, unfortunately, also among us.

 

Moreover, there are problems such as those of children who end up not healthy or happy by, for example, being exposed to alcohol, drugs, smoking or other substances the mother takes when pregnant.

 

All this shows there is always room for stronger and better emphasis on the value of human life, the complementary responsibilities of both parents towards children and the wellbeing of mothers and children during pregnancy and after.

On receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who many people consider as the spiritual president of the pro-life movements in the world, had the courage to say that “it is the principle of abortion that endangers peace in the world”. There is much truth in this because what true peace can there be without respect for life?

 

In this context, the celebration of Pro-Life Day should also be seen as an occasion for people’s representatives to seek to commit themselves always better as veritable promoters of the interests of the unborn child also in international scenes.

 

Elementary coherence requires those who truly seek peace to energetically safeguard life. Celebrating the key value of human life through a genuine and constant effort to protect it also means a contribution towards authentic peace. This, of course, necessitates looking beyond our shores where human life has been and is still being lost at the hands of proud, stubborn, greedy and power-hungry political leaders and criminals.

Jum il-Ħajja - Il-Hadd 6 ta' Frar, 2011 - Celebrazzjoni tal-Hajja - Diskors mis-Sinjura Catherine Gonzi, mart il-Prim Ministru, fil-Kon Katidral ta' San Gwann, Valletta, Malta

Moviment ghad-Drittijiet, Protezzjoni u Zvilupp tat-Tarbija li ser Titwieled

Sinjura Catherine Gonzi

Eċellenza Dr George Abela - Eċellenza Mons Arċisqof  ( Mistednin distinti )

( Il-Presient u l-Arcisqof ma kienux presenti ghall-manifestazzjoni fl-Oratorju tal-Caravaggio)

Sinjuri,

 

Il-ħajja hija sabiħa. Il-ħajja hija prezzjuża. Il-ħajja hija fraġli. Il-ħajja hija sfida. 

 

Dawn huma aspetti differenti tal-ħajja, li għalkemm mhux dejjem inkunu konxji minnhom, jirifflettu fuq l-għażliet li aħna nagħmlu kuljum.  Huwa fid-dawl ta’ dawn l-aspetti tal-ħajja li għandna niefqu u naħsbu dwar it-tarbija li qed tissawwar.

 

Ħafna drabi tqala tkun ippjanata u l-aħbar ta’ ħolqien ta’ tarbija iġġib ħafna ferħ lill-koppja, familjari u ħbieb.  L-istess ġenituri ta’ dan il-ħolqien ġdid, jibdew jaddattaw għal-preżenza tat-tarbija tagħhom; jgħarfu r- responsabilità li għandhom lejn din il-kreatura ġdida li ser tiddependi fuq l-imħabba u l-kura tagħhom għall- għejxien u l-iżvillupp tagħha; jagħmlu ħilithom biex jevitaw drawwiet negattivi li jkollhom bħal tipjip, xorb alkoħoliku u jrawwmu drawwiet oħra tajbin li jgħinu għal tqala aktar b’saħħitha.  Bi preparazzjoni għat-twelid tat-tarbija, il-ġenituri jattendu korsijiet ta’ tagħlim, jixtarru kotba u jirrikorru għall-pariri mediċi.  Nieħu gost ninnota li ħafna mill-familji tagħna jilqgħu t-trabi li jkunu ser jitwieldu b’dan il-mod, li tista’ tgħid huwa kważi idejali.

 

Iżda hemm trabi li jissawru f’sitwazzjonijiet diffiċli ezempju... meta tqala m’hix ippjanata, fejn ġenituri  m’għandhomx relazzjoni stabbli bejniethom, meta ġenituri  jabbużaw min xi sustanzi, fejn trabi  ser jitwieldu lil ommijiet li għadhom tfal (taħt it-tmintax il-sena), meta ġenituri jiġu mgħarrfa bi twelid ta’ tarbija b’diżabilità severa u oħrajn.  Quddiem sitwazzjonijiet bħal dawn, l-omm jew il-ġenituri jħossu toqol li jista’ jaqtgħalhom qalbhom u dwejjaq li jċajpru il-ferħ li normalment iġġib magħha tqala ġdida;  Ħafna drabi ma jarawx mod kif ser ikampaw fis-sitwazzjoni -  u l-abort jista’ jidher bħala l-uniku triq għal persuna li ssib ruħha darha mal-ħajt, persuna li qed tħoss li m’għandiex l-enerġija u l-kuraġġ meħtieġa biex tagħmel sens mis-sitwazzjoni, u biex tgħix biha.  Għaliex fil-verita l-għażla m’hijiex bejn li żżomm tqala jew tneħħija; l-għażla hija bejn jekk taċċettax jew taħrabx minn sitwazzjoni li ser iġġib magħha piż tul il-ħajja. Jekk l-omm hija affaċċjata b’din id-deċiżjoni f’mument meta diġa qed tħossha dgħajfa, waħeda, mingħajr appoġġ u mingħajr riżorsi, hemm probabilità li ċċedi, li tneħħi it-tqala.  Id-deċiżjoni ma tkunx riżultat ta’ għażla libera, iżda riżultat ta’ ċirkostanzi iebsin li ma ħallewlha l-ebda għażla. 

 

Għaldaqstant jekk aħna verament qedin nippromwovu l-għażla favur il-ħajja min meta t-tarbija qed tissawwar, irridu nkunu proattivi.  Hemm bżonn li nerġgħu nagħtu t-tama lil dik l-omm li twarrbet mill-ġenituri tagħha għax ħarġet tqila qabel iż-żwieġ, dik l-omm li qed tistenna tarbija minn missier li ma jridx ikun involut fit-trobbija tagħha, fil-ħajja ta’ dik il-koppja li qed jistennew tarbija li ser tkun dipendenti għal kollox fuqhom minħabba diżabilità, fil-ħajja tal-omm li ma tistax twaqqaf il-vizzju tad-droga avolja qed iġġorr tarbija.  Aħna bħala individwi, bħala soċjetà, x’qedin noffru li dawn il-persuni?  Qedin noffru alternattiva li tagħmel sens? Qedin noffru raġuni u appoġġ biex bl-għażliet tagħhom il-ġenituri jipproteġu lit-tarbija?

 

Hawn diversi entitajiet li jipprovdu servizzi lil persuni li qed jistennew tarbija.  Apparti is-servizzi tas-saħħa li huma ffukati fuq it-tqala, hemm servizzi ffukati fuq it-tqala f’ċirkostanzi diffiċli.  Fost dawn hemm il-proġett Għożża tad-Dipartiment tal-Edukazzjoni li jipprovdi servizz għal tfajliet studenti li ser isiru ommijiet.  Proġett Għożża joffri appoġġ lit-tfajliet biex ikomplu l-iskola waqt li jkunu qed jistennew lit-tarbija, kif ukoll lil missier it-tarbija.  Hemm ukoll Dar Ġużeppa Debono f’Għawdex li tipprovdi kenn għal tfajliet li ser isiru ommijiet li ma jsibux l-appoġġ tal-familji tagħhom.  Sedqa toffri servizz specjalizzat għal nisa li qed jistennew tarbija waqt li għandhom il-vizzju tad-droga.  Jeħtieġ li jkollna aktar servizzi bħal dawn, għal kategoriji ta’ persuni differenti.  Servizzi li joffru sostenn biex il-persuna tkun tista’ tagħmel verament għażla libera.  Meta jsibu l-għajnuna li jkollhom bżonn, ħafna ommijiet, ġenituri jagħmlu għażliet favur il-ħajja.  Huwa mportanti wkoll li nkomplu nwasslu għarfien dwar dawn is-servizzi lis-soċjeta permezz ta’ fuljetti, media u mezzi oħra eletroniċi.

 

L-għażla favur il-ħajja m’hix it-tmiem ta’ l-isfida, iżda, ħafna drabi il-bidu tagħha.  Il-ħajja li tkun ġiet ippreservata trid tiġi sostnuta; hemm bżonn l-appoġġ kontinwu biex it-tarbija li qed tissawwar tgawdi min l-aqwa protezzjoni – is-servizzi tas-saħħa, l-edukazzjoni tal-ġenituri, servizzi ta’ appoġġ fejn dawn huma neċessarji.  Aħna fid-dmir li ntejbu dak li hemm u nkomplu nibnu fuq dak li diġa jeżisti, biex il-persuni, ġenituri, familji li qed isawwru tarbija jgħożżuha sa mill-ewwel jiem ta’ ħajjitha.

 

Bħala soċjetà għandna ukoll id-dmir li nħarsu lejn il-policies tal-pajjiż, u nistaqsu jekk dawn humiex qed ikunu ta’ appoġġ mistħoqq għal-ħajja.  Illum li napprezzaw ħafna aktar id-drittijiet tat-tarbija li ser titwieled, għandna bżonn nirrevedu il-policies tal-pajjiż fid-dawl ta’ dawn id-drittijiet?  Il-politika tal-Gvern hija favur id-drittijiet tat-tarbija li ser titwieled?  Nistgħu nagħmlu tibdiliet li iwasslu għal titjib?  Entitajiet mhux governattivi għandhom jieħdu l-inizjattiva u jagħmlu suġġerimenti f’dan is-sens.  Huwa ta’ nkoraġġiment ukoll li l-Uffiċċju tal-Kumissarju tat-Tfal jieħu sehem attiv f’dan il-qasam.

 

Ir-rispett għad-drittijiet tat-tarbija, il-protezzjoni u l-ħarsien ta’ l-iżvilupp tagħha mhumiex għażliet li l-omm tagħmel waħeda, u li il-konsegwenzi tagħhom iġġorrhom hi u t-tarbija tagħha biss.  L-għażliet favur it-tarbija li ser titwieled huma riżultat ta’ proċessi u ta’ sistemi li toffri is-soċjeta, u il-konsegwenzi ta’ dawn l-għażliet tgawdi minnhom, jew tbatijhom, ukoll is-soċjeta.

 

Għaldaqstant, ilkoll kemm aħna għandna responsabilità li naħdmu biex aktar u aktar ġenituri ikunu f’pożizzjoni li jagħmlu għażla libera favur il-ħajja sa mill-ewwel mumenti tal-ħajja.

 

Grazzi.

Unborn Children – The Common Concern of Mankind - 02-09-2009

Climate change in the womb

Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement

1. Forty years ago Malta made an impact on the world scene when, irrespective of its small size but because of its special characteristics, it successfully promoted the concept of the sea as the common heritage of mankind.  And the world listened. Fact 

2. Twenty years later, in 1988, Malta again hit the world headlines when it proposed concerted positive action on climate change to the international community. And again the world listened. Fact

3. During a lecture on 15-12-09 by Prof David Attard, an international lawyer, he made reference to the concept of “the common concern of mankind” as it is being used at present by the United Nations when referring to Malta’s second proposal on Climate Change. Fact 

4. A dimension of man's relationship to his environment is implied in this concept. While covering directly climate change in general, it focuses also on issues that are generally basic to mankind, like climate change also in the womb. This, through the inadvertent exposure to chemical and toxic substances and emissions of would-be mothers and fathers especially at places of work and the world in general. Also through the irresponsible consumption of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, immediately before or during pregnancy, and the lack of love for and rejection of unborn children by their parents -  which also conditions the affective development of unborn and born children -  manifested by parents in a variety of ways during the pregnancy.Fact 

5. Thomas R. Verny, psychiatrist, writer and professor of human development at St. Mary's University in the USA in his international best-seller The Secret Life of the Unborn Child (with John Kelly)  established that  “...by creating a warm, emotionally enriching environment in utero, a woman can make a decisive difference in everything her child feels, hopes, dreams, thinks, and accomplishes throughout life.”  Dr Verny says that “the womb is the child's first world. The first environment. How he experiences it, as friendly or hostile, also create personality and character predispositions for life.” Fact

6. Dr. Philip Camilleri, Consultant Oncologist at Northampton General Hospital in the United Kingdom, writing in the Sunday Times of Malta on 10-12-05 about exhaust fumes and their link to cancer declared... “the most striking association I have come across is the link between the incidence of childhood acute leukemia and the parental exposure to exhaust fumes around the time of conception, as a result of damage to the sperm DNA.” Fact

7. The UK Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health indicated in 2005 that research had shown that gas emissions were the main cause of the incidence of childhood cancers. The author of the report recommended that future research into the causes of cancer in children should focus on environmental exposure in the womb as well as during childhood. According to the same report the findings of the UK report was backed by ongoing research focused on babies in the womb in the USA. Fact

8. A short article in the health page of The Times of Malta (September 6, 2008) dealt with how mood in pregnancy impacts early childhood development, including development in the womb. Fact

9. The Sunday Times of Malta (September 14, 2008) reported that Maltese psychiatrist Dr Anton Grech was involved, with other EU scientists, in studying the possibility that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with exposure to influenza before birth.              Fact

10. Dr Philip Carabott (Times July 2, 2009) – Head of the Genitourinary Clinic at Boffa Hospital, Malta, said that  Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease,  could lead to pre-term pregnancies and eye complications in babies and that cases were expected to rise.                                       Fact

 

11. The concept “the conmmon concern of mankind” possesses a social dimension and is considered relevant to other sectors of international environmental law. It is submitted that the concept is also relevant to the well-being, and the wholesome and sustainable development of unborn children, at any stage of their development in their mothers’ wombs. This implies also the proactive committment by the international community to the protection, legal and otherwise, and the sustainable development of the first environment to man - his first world - his mother’s womb, all over the world.        Opinion  Agree   or - It seems to me …
12. In a review of the book “Environmental Justice and the Rights of Unborn and Future Generations” by Prof. Laura Westra, (Philosophy), University of Windsor, it is stated that: “The traditional concept of social justice is increasingly being challenged by the notion of a humankind that spans current and future generations. The book is the systematic examination of how the rights of the unborn and future generations are handled in common law and under international legal instruments.”                      Fact

13. In a declaration in Feb 2009 on “current global issues” on the Malta Foreign Affairs Ministry’s website in a section devoted solely to children, the government declared that “Malta will continue to actively support the protection of the basic human rights of children in the world particularly as laid out in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child”... and that ”...Malta will continue to support international actions and policies that respect the rights of the unborn child and foster the best interests of children.”                    Fact

14. In May 2009 the Malta government committed itself, in paragraph 45, on Values, in its European Parliament Election Manifesto “to work for the fundamental right to life... from conception to natural death.” Clearly for loving and responsible care in the womb, man’s first environemnt, his first world. It committed itself also to work so that these “would be the fulcrum on which the laws, programmmes and policies of the European Union are based.”               Fact

15. A third opportunity is arising for Malta to proclaim, again, before the world community that “all men are created equal” and that all unborn children, wanted and loved or not, the common beginners in all mankind, and "created equal" everywhere, should be considered the “common concern of all mankind” and that their rights, protection, care and development should be the common moral and political concern and responsibility of the world community in word, on paper and in deed, everywhere.               Opinion - Agree  - or It seems to me …

16. The proposal fits also into the concept of Malta as a Centre for Peace, a bridge between Christian Europe and Islamic North Africa in the Euro-Mediterranean zone, where Malta is already playing a very vital strategic political role in the interests of dialogue and peace in the region, and the world. Opinion -  Agree   or - It seems to me …

17. The two main religions in the Mediterranean, Christianity and Islam, value very highly the promotion of world peace and the dignity of human life from its very beginning. Top scholars from both religions met in Rome between the 4th and 6th December 2008 to give their very valuable contribution to the promotion of dialogue and peace during the turbulent times of the world financial crisis.                       Fact

18. Furthermore, in the final statement of the 11th colloquium of the Catholic Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, in Rome on 17-12-2008, the two sides declared that “considering the role religions can and should have in society, religious leaders also have a cultural and social role to play in promoting fundamental ethical values, such as justice, solidarity, peace, social harmony and the common good of society as a whole, especially the needy, the weak, migrants and the oppressed.”                                                                            Fact

19. 200 million voiceless and defenceless unborn children every year all over the world can be said  to fall in the “weak” category, while about 50 million unborn children every year, whose life is eventually wilfully terminated all over the world  can be said  to fall in the “oppressed” category.                 Opinion - Agree   or It seems to me …•

Green Pregnancies - published in Times of Malta 23-07-2008

Published in The TIMES of Malta – 23-7-2008 www.timesofmalta.com

MUCM

Leo Brincat, the main opposition spokesman for the environment, noted (Times July 16) that CNN too has gone green “…almost becoming synonymous with tuning in to a Green channel.” He added “It is comforting to know that various world leaders have chosen to make the environment their calling card while others have initiated concrete climate change measures and others are still struggling hard to begin implementing their Green agendas.”

The Union of the Mediterranean (UfM) launched lately by French President Sarkozy as the current President of the European Union is also planning to invest heavily in what Dr Simon Busuttil, MEP, called (July 16) “sounder environmental governance”.

Dr. Law Gonzi, our prime minister, made very clear references to the environment in his intervention during the official launching of the UfM in Paris.
Thomas R. Verny, a father, psychiatrist, family therapist and a pioneer in brain sciences and birth psychology, in his book The Secret Life of the Unborn Child revealed that “by creating a warm, emotionally enriching environment in utero, a woman can make a decisive difference in everything her child feels, hopes, dreams, thinks, and accomplishes throughout life.” He has shown how mothers and fathers can contribute actively – before and during birth – to giving their child happiness and security for the rest of his or her life.
It is high time Maltese society and its politicians put also the first environment for man, the first world for the unborn child…the mother’s womb…constantly on their green agenda. Abortion affects an extremely important aspect of the first environment to the unborn child. There is much more than abortion, though. The womb is where the wholesome development of the unborn child takes place during the nine months of pregnancy.
“Sustainable development” also of the child in the womb should be a main pillar of attention and active work of the Malta Council of Economic and Social Development.
At present every year the womb is the first environment to about 4000 unborn children in Malta and Gozo and to about 200 million unborn children all over the world.
Maltese society, and European society also for that matter, must be much more aware about the very harmful effects the increased consumption of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, especially by the young generation, the bearers of unborn child, is having on the overall development of the unborn child in the womb. Appropriate action should be taken by the authorities to spare the unborn child these harmful effects.
There is much to learn also about the harmful effects toxic substances and other conditions of work on the places of work are leaving on the general health of working fathers and mothers, and consequently on babies in their mothers’ wombs.

Dr. Philip Camilleri, Consultant Oncologist at Northampton General Hospital in UK drew the attention of many when in 2005 he wrote about “exhaust fumes and their link to cancer in children... because of parental exposure to exhaust fumes around the time of conception, as a result of damage to the sperm DNA.”

The mother’s womb is normally the first environment to the unborn child. There is also another type of environment to the unborn which should also be constantly on the “green” agenda. Experimental medical laboratories!

Tony Mifsud, Coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement

Link to the Times of Malta