IN A departure from the Church's conservative position, at least one religious organisation has endorsed the broad provisions in the Termination of Pregnancy Act, otherwise called the abortion law.

The United Church of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands says it supports the recommendations of the Abortion Policy Review Group, which has proposed the decriminalisation of abortion in Jamaica.

Reverend Dr Marjorie Lewis, who represented the church body, told members of a joint select committee yesterday in Gordon House that her organisation supports abortion conditionally.

No problem

"What we are pointing out is that all Christians do not have the same view. We have, for example, a difference even on the question of contraception. The Roman Catholics do not sanction contraception, we do," said Lewis.

She said her church had no problem with abortion in instances where a woman was raped or where incest was committed.

The reverend also said there was not a problem in a case where medical opinion pointed to severe disability and where the potential mother or child was at risk.

However, Lewis argued that unwanted pregnancies should be avoided and abstinence should be considered and pursued.

She also encouraged the responsible use of contraceptives.

Pro-life vs pro-choice

Attempting to strike a compromise, the church leader said the society should raise the debate to another level.

Lewis said it might be justified that a pro-life stance does not prevent one from embracing the concept of pro-choice.

While supporting the draft legislation to legalise abortion, she called for two amendments to the bill.

Under Section Five of the legislation, dealing with 'termination of pregnancy in special categories', the church group wants an amendment to indicate that parents' consent was not necessary in all cases for minors over the age of 16 years. This, however, should be subject to professional counselling.

The church group also wants the bill to be modified to allow for the training of other persons for counselling, such as members of the clergy, who do not oppose abortion.

Hilary Nicholson, head of Women's Media Watch, said it was unfortunate that the ongoing debate on abortion had attracted the labels pro-life and pro-abortion.

She said her organisation was pro-choice and pro-life. Nicholson argued that the current law, which made abortion illegal, discriminates against women, particularly those of the lower-social class.

For the dispossessed

Nicholson contended that, unlike their middle-class counterparts, dispossessed women did not have the necessary resources to seek proper medical care to terminate a pregnancy.

According to her, the present legislation forced many women to carry out abortions, which are sometimes botched, putting their lives at risk.

Four other presenters supported the recommendations contained in the proposed law to decriminalise abortion.

At its next meeting, the committee will hear submissions from six so-called pro-life groups.