OVERPOPULATION AND ABORTION QUESTION: AN ETHICAL REAPPRAISAL

Various nations and international organizations devote a lot of time, energy and resources in protecting the life of its citizens. Many nations are willing to go for war to avenge any unjust killing of their citizens. When natural disasters that harm human life occur, both the individuals and the nations affected declare periods of mourning. Mindless of this right attitude in defence of life, particular groups of the same human community are recklessly and even ‘legally’ harmed. The unborn babies in the womb are aborted at will or on demand. What is most embarrassing is that such actions enjoy the support of the government and other agencies. This injustice shown to the unborn, especially as a means of birth control, is the problem this thesis tackled. The overpopulation alarm has lasted for a long time.
The initial targets of the birth control propaganda were the blacks and other third world countries. Through recourse to many texts and visits to many libraries and internet websites, it became clear that the world is not overpopulated and is not even becoming overpopulated. Therefore, the issue of promoting abortion as a means of birth control is unfortunate. From its origin, the human life is sacred. It has a special dignity natural to it. The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. Abortion violates this right directly. There is a real need for birth regulation
because it is a part of the concept of responsible parenthood. This responsible parenthood gives the parents the sole right to determine the number of children they can conveniently take good care of. Their family circumstances are to be considered in taking this noble decision. Different communities are expected to combine the available resources to tackle poverty while utilizing the endowments of science and technology to solve the various problems facing man. When one state cannot tackle its problems, in the spirit of globalization, international communities can liaise to make things better for all humans. This thesis intends to achieve this through a well reasoned discussion of the overpopulation claim and a proof that the world is not at all near overpopulation as feared. This thesis accepts
that there is a cogent need for birth regulation as distinguished from birth control. While approving birth regulation as a necessary part aspect of responsible parenthood, this piece of work condemns abortion as a means of birth regulation.

BY EMENIKE, ANDREW CHIZOBA, DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION AND HUMAN RELATIONS, NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA – NIGERIA