The “Forum for the Defence of Life” in Hungary has published a resolution on artificial sterilization, during an extraordinary conference held in Budapest in recent days. The question of assisted insemination for single women was also discussed during the meeting. The Hungarian Catholic press agency “Magyar Kurír” reports that the Constitutional Court recently judged anti-constitutional the medical law in force that permits artificial sterilization for persons over the age of 35 or have at least 3 illegitimate children. From 1st July, the minimum age, proposed by the Court, would be reduced to 18. The resolution of the Forum for the Defence of Life declares that “no one has the power to carry out artificial sterilization since no one can dispose of the members of the human body in a way contrary to its natural destination”, so “the so-called freedom or right of self-determination does not include sterilization”. “Sterilization with the aim of preventing the procreation of children, due to a lack of legitimacy, is morally wrong, and prohibited also by the natural law: it is therefore illicit under law and hence to be condemned”, says the Forum. “The prohibition of sterilization – continues the resolution – is neither detrimental to, nor does it limit” the freedom of self-determination because no right to sterilization exists. The right of self-determination conceptually cannot comprise the case of self-mutilation, either self-inflicted, or at the hand of another person”. Given the social and collective aspect of human fertility, “it is a constitutional duty of the State properly to defend human dignity, physical and mental health at the highest possible level, and children, adolescents and families”. The signatories of the resolution therefore appeal to “legislators and physicians” to reject sterilization as “legally prohibited”, and “to every person of good will to understand the gravity of all this and do their utmost to curb” this phenomenon. The Forum will hold a press conference on these issues in the Women’s House in Budapest on 2 May.
