Georgia to forbid “selective abortions”

Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The Christmas sermon by the head of Georgian Orthodox Church Ilya II, in which the Patriarch stressed his negative attitude to artificial fertilization and surrogacy, caused a big discussion of problems which used to be non-acute or uncomfortable for a public discussion, if not taboo.

Commenting on the urge by the head of GOC to forbid abortions, the Minister of Health David Sergienko said that the point is not about abortion itself, but about “selective abortions,” when pregnancy is terminated after identification of a child’s sex. Modern technologies give an opportunity to find out sex of a child at early stages of pregnancy, and in the majority of cases a decision is made “against females.” The practice is clearly reflected in the gender balance: in recent years girls were born less than boys by 50% in the country.

In Georgia the problem is aggravated by deep traditions connected with a social function of a man. In some regions of the country a phrase “we have two children and two girls” is normal. It is a historic tradition, as a boy is a barer of a family name, a worker, a defender, and a supporter of a family.

Scientists believe that modern technologies combine with such an attitude of the society dreadfully. “Earlier there were 4-5 children in a family and a gender balance maintained, despite “the demand for boys”,” professor of Tbilisi Medical Institute, Victor Melia, explained Vestnik Kavkaza. “But today when a family plans to have only two children, at least one of them should be a boy, and modern technologies give an opportunity to indentify a child’s sex. It led to a growth of selective abortions.”

Melia and other doctors actively cooperate with the parliamentary committees for legal affairs and health service. A set of drafts connected with abortions, including selective abortions, is being developed. However, all participants are sure: there can be no easy decisions. A total ban of abortions is unacceptable, as it will cause a growth of illegal abortions. The same thing is about forbidding telling parents sex of their future child. Any strict measures will boost development of the illegal industry. Thus, the Ministry of Health and the parliamentary committees keep quiet.