Press release: The March for Life 2015 Romania and Moldova – “Every Life is a Gift” / “For Life” Magazine, no. 4 – Spring 2015

Between March 18–25, Romania and the Republic of Moldova will host the Week for Life 2015 – “Every Life is a Gift”, with its central event being the March for Life 2015, scheduled for March 21.

In Romania, this marks the fifth edition of the March for Life, while in the Republic of Moldova, it will be held for the first time. So far, organizers have announced events in over 60 cities across Romania and, for the first time, in the Republic of Moldova, in Chișinău and Orhei. Last year, the event took place in 40 cities. The list of participating cities and additional details can be found on www.marsulpentruviata.ro.

The message we wish to convey through this year’s theme, “Every Life is a Gift,” is that every person is unique and has infinite value. Society as a whole benefits when it supports people with special needs and, more specifically, when it helps a woman facing a pregnancy crisis to give birth and raise the child she carries—a gift for herself, her family, and society.

Since year 1958, Romania, a country with a current population of 21.8 million, has officially recorded over 22 million abortions in its state hospitals. Every day, about 400 abortions on demand are performed in state hospitals alone, resulting in an abortion rate of 480 abortions per 1,000 births—the highest in the European Union and twice the rate in the United States. In reality, the actual number is even higher, as abortions performed in private clinics are not reported, and those undergone by Romanian women abroad are also unaccounted for.

In the Republic of Moldova, which has a population of approximately 3.6 million, statistics indicate that since the country’s independence in 1991, about 750,000 abortions have been recorded.

We want to draw special attention to cases where a woman receives an unfavorable prenatal diagnosis. When certain conditions, such as Down Syndrome, are detected, the child has a very low chance of being born. Across the European Union, 96% of babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted. This is why we chose March 21 as the date for our march—World Down Syndrome Day—to raise awareness that discrimination against people with Down Syndrome and special needs begins before birth.

We firmly believe that every human life deserves respect and support, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, health status, or stage of development. A child on the first day after conception is no less human than a person in their prime; a person with Down Syndrome is no less human than a genius; someone bedridden is no less human than an Olympic champion. Every individual has something unique and infinitely precious to offer society, and a truly humane society must meet each person’s specific needs with care and respect. True civilization does not exclude or discriminate against those in vulnerable situations!

The March for Life is non-denominational and apolitical. Through this initiative, we do not seek to ban abortion by law. Instead, we aim to raise awareness about:

1. The existence, uniqueness, dignity, and value of every human being from the moment of conception.
2. The fact that difficult situations—such as unexpected pregnancies or those receiving an unfavorable prenatal diagnosis—create pregnancy crises, which are extremely challenging for women.
3. The urgent need to support women going through pregnancy crises, both before and after childbirth.

All events of the Week for Life 2015 and the March for Life 2015 – “Every Life is a Gift” are open to anyone who shares these principles and values.

Alexandra Nadane, President
Studenți pentru Viață (Romania’s pro-life students organization

Ioana Picoș
Spokesperson of the March for Life 2015 Romania and Moldova