People’s deputies–members of the Inter-faction Union “Equal Possibilities” Iryna Herashchenko, Olena Kondratiuk, Olesia Orobets, Borys Tarasiuk, Mariia Ionova, Secretary of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Vitalii Zhyravskyi, people’s deputy Ruslan Martsynkiv, First Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Public Health Iryna Spirina, the Chairperson of the subcommittee on legislative support for maternal, child and reproductive health of the Committee on Public Health Mariia Ionova, Deputy Chairperson of the Department of maternal, child health and sanatory support at the Ministry of Healthcare Valentyna Kolomeichuk, Director of the M.Ptukha Institute of Demography and Social Studies of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Ella Libanova, representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy, Commissioner for Human Rights, representatives of international and public organizations participated in the round table discussion.
During the meeting it was noted that legislative initiatives that restrict the reproductive rights of citizens of Ukraine, in particular, women rights, create additional risks and threats to their health and life. This was mentioned by the Ministry of Health, doctors, experts in matters of human rights and demographics.
The participants of the round table discussed also the drafts laws: No. 2646 "On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding liability for unlawful termination of pregnancy", No. 2823 "On Advertising" (to resolve certain issues of advertising), which proposes to ban advertising of contraception throughout, except for specialized institutions, No. 2646-1 "On Amendments to Several Legislative Acts of Ukraine (concerning the termination of pregnancy (abortion)."
The bill No. 2646 was supported by the participants.
The bill No. 2646 was recalled by the author for refinement.
Chairperson of the subcommittee of the Committee on Public Health Mariia Ionova informed that specialized committee suggests rejecting the bill No. 2646-1.
Experts talked about the need for education among men on responsibility for their family. Unfortunately, they have concluded, one in four children in Ukraine today is brought up without father because he abandoned the family, often because of the woman reluctance to have an abortion.
Also, all participants of the round table discussion agreed that the solution to abortion issue is more in a moral and ethical plane than in the sphere of legislative regulation.
Co-chairperson of the Inter-faction Union "Equal Possibilities", people’s deputy Olena Kondratiuk on behalf of the association expressed the view that the authors of the draft № 2646-1 should listen to the experts and withdraw it for refinement.
In a statement concluding the round table discussion the Inter-faction Union appeals to all factions with a request to consider a negative opinion of experts in medicine and demography on the bill 2646-1 on determining their position on abortion ban and calls the authors to withdraw the bill as one that requires serious refinement.