As the Government of Mauritius officially celebrates the International year for Women by the inauguration of the National Women Development Centre by prime minister Navin Ramgoolam this morning, the Mauritius Family Planning association (MFPA) is organising yet another debate on abortion. They have a question for decision makers: ?Women?s right to safe abortion: who cares??

Politicians and members of civil society will debate on abortion. The MFPA is as tired as the public of the sterile debate that has been going on for years. Which is why this year?s debate won?t be about whether there is a need to legalise or not abortion.

?I think we agree there is a need to do it. We?ve made our position clear on this. This year we want people to take responsibility?, says the spokesperson for the MFPA. It is a clever move. Indeed the old-time debate on whether we should or shouldn?t, is obsolete. Whether we do or not, women are interrupting their pregnancies. Voluntarily, if not legally. Shouldn?t they then be given the right to do so safely?

Today?s debate will no doubt be fiery. Among guest speakers are members of Action Familiale and religious bodies, known opposers. Politicians are also invited. The MSM has agreed to send a representative; the lady despatched to the MFPA function is, however, not an MP. The MMM, typically, has kindly declined the invite. The Labour party has sent MP Kalyanee Jugoo. Lalit, too, has confirmed its presence and will no doubt be very vocal on its stand.

This aloofness of political parties is worrying. They are the ones who are in a position to give this ?right? to women and yet, politicians constantly shy away from expressing themselves too strongly on the matter once they are in power. MP Nita Deerpalsing, an advocate of the legalisation of abortion, admitted that the matter had never been raised during discussions pertaining to the electoral manifesto. She also added that she didn?t know her colleagues? opinion about the matter because again, the subject of abortion had never been raised.

This aloofness is probably due to the fact that there are no official figures on abortion, the operation being clandestine. But the MFPA has compiled figures on complications due to abortion and they are staggering; in 2002, public hospitals had to treat 3,300 cases of complications due to abortion. The figure for 2003 is 2,800 and that for 2004 is 1,396. It is believed that, out of every ten successful abortions, one case goes awry. So this would mean that, in 2004, some 14,000 women aborted whether in private clinics, abroad or in the backyard of helpful doctors.

The hypocrisy is deafening; the National Health Service does not perform abortions on women. Yet it will treat the complications caused by backyard abortions. There is a draft bill somewhere in the drawers of the Health ministry that speaks of allowing abortions in specific cases. It has remained there for quite a while. Heard through the grapevine is the rumour that cabinet has recently discussed the matter and may soon be giving the green light to abortion legalisation. The MFPA says they have also heard of the ?rumour?. Lack of confirmation tends, however, to discredit the said rumour.

Symbolically, Health minister Satish Faugoo will officially open the debate on ?safe abortion? today. And while the Government of Mauritius will pay lip service to women?s rights today, it continues to deny women the greatest right of all; the right to their bodies.