Reduce abortions by promoting adoption: Christian Democrat

Rather than abort unwanted children, women in Sweden should give birth and put the children up for adoption, a Christian Democrat politician has argued, hoping the measure would reduce the number of abortions in Sweden.

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• Swedish abortions decline in 2009: report (19 May 10)

"Domestic adoption doesn't even exist. On the other hand, there are quite a number of Swedes who 'import' children from abroad; why can't we have some form of adoption centre in Sweden," Gunilla Gomér said to Sveriges Television (SVT).

According to Gomér, creating a adoption centre that would make it easier for women to place children in Sweden would help lower the number of abortions in the country.

Approximately 40,000 abortions are performed in Sweden every year, according to SVT.

Gomér stopped short of calling for an outright ban on abortions, however, instead comparing her proposal as part of a "zero vision" goal to reduce the frequency of abortions.

"Such a vision exists when it comes to road safety, there could also be a variant here," she told SVT.

Gomér, who currently chairs the pro-life organisation "Yes to Life" (Ja till livet), sits on the council of Västra Götalands region and recently saw her position strengthened following the county's election re-run earlier in May.

She claims that most of her party's voters support her position about abortion, and is critical of Christian Democrat leadership for not taking a clear position on the abortion issue.

However, Gomér's comments don't sit will with Stina Svensson, spokesperson for the Feminist Initiative political party.

"This is a step toward removing the right to have an abortion in Sweden," Svensson told The Local.

"It's a step toward removing a women's right to decide over her own body and something we are very much against."

Svensson also disputed Gomér's assertion that domestic adoption doesn't exist.

"Of course there is domestic adoption in Sweden," she said.

"Perhaps it could be developed in a simplified way that makes it easier, but it certainly exists."

According to Svensson,c Gomér "confuses two issues" by linking abortion and adoption in an attempt to advance the pro-life agenda in Sweden.

"To force someone to endure an unwanted pregnancy and be pregnant and then force them to give up the child is simply not appropriate," said Svensson.